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Turbulence and Triumph #1
Ocean's Justice
A mysterious castaway. A Scottish hero determined to protect her. Can they survive the storm?
Cast adrift on the Indian Ocean, Maria carries a terrible secret. Wherever she goes, death soon follows, and she's powerless to prevent it.
William McGregor boarded the SS Trevessa in search of adventure, but he gets more than he bargained for when he saves the mysterious Maria from the sea. She can't tell them her tragic tale, so the superstitious sailors make up their own stories - and some would sacrifice her to the waves to save themselves from the coming storm.
When the sharks start circling and the storm closes in, are sirens more than just a myth?
A tiny taste of what's in store:
My defiance was futile. What did it get me? A small raft drifting across the Indian Ocean, with nothing but the sound of waves and the smell of salt and coal-smoke.
Smoke meant a ship. I was saved.
I squinted into the sunlight, but the waves hid the vessel from me. Maybe I was looking the wrong way. I didn't have the strength to sit up and see.
Rough hands seized me. I struggled, but my weakness won.
Blue eyes drifted above, the same colour as the ocean below. A tangle of wiry seaweed obscured the rest of the man's face.
"It's all right, lass. I'll take care of you."
Darkness took me first.
Turbulence and Triumph
The Turbulence and Triumph series is set in the same world as the modern-day Ocean's Gift series, but in the past. The books in the Turbulence and Triumph series to date are:
Ocean's Justice (#1)
Ocean's Trial (#2)
Ocean's Triumph (#3)
Ocean's Ride (#4)
Ocean's Cage (#5)
Ocean's Birth (#6)
How to Catch Crabs (#2.5)
Cast adrift on the Indian Ocean, Maria carries a terrible secret. Wherever she goes, death soon follows, and she's powerless to prevent it.
William McGregor boarded the SS Trevessa in search of adventure, but he gets more than he bargained for when he saves the mysterious Maria from the sea. She can't tell them her tragic tale, so the superstitious sailors make up their own stories - and some would sacrifice her to the waves to save themselves from the coming storm.
When the sharks start circling and the storm closes in, are sirens more than just a myth?
A tiny taste of what's in store:
My defiance was futile. What did it get me? A small raft drifting across the Indian Ocean, with nothing but the sound of waves and the smell of salt and coal-smoke.
Smoke meant a ship. I was saved.
I squinted into the sunlight, but the waves hid the vessel from me. Maybe I was looking the wrong way. I didn't have the strength to sit up and see.
Rough hands seized me. I struggled, but my weakness won.
Blue eyes drifted above, the same colour as the ocean below. A tangle of wiry seaweed obscured the rest of the man's face.
"It's all right, lass. I'll take care of you."
Darkness took me first.
Turbulence and Triumph
The Turbulence and Triumph series is set in the same world as the modern-day Ocean's Gift series, but in the past. The books in the Turbulence and Triumph series to date are:
Ocean's Justice (#1)
Ocean's Trial (#2)
Ocean's Triumph (#3)
Ocean's Ride (#4)
Ocean's Cage (#5)
Ocean's Birth (#6)
How to Catch Crabs (#2.5)
87 pages, ebook
First published September 1, 2014
622 people are currently reading
2259 people want to read
About the author
Demelza Carlton
935 books3,881 followersUSA Today Bestselling Author Demelza Carlton has always loved the ocean, but on her first snorkelling trip she found she was afraid of fish.
She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray-drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below.
Sensationalist spin? No - Demelza tends to take a camera with her so she can capture and share the moment later; shipwrecks, sharks and all.
Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world.
The Ocean's Gift series was her first foray into fiction, followed by the Nightmares trilogy. She swears the Mel Goes to Hell series ambushed her on a crowded train and wouldn't leave her alone.
She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray-drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below.
Sensationalist spin? No - Demelza tends to take a camera with her so she can capture and share the moment later; shipwrecks, sharks and all.
Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world.
The Ocean's Gift series was her first foray into fiction, followed by the Nightmares trilogy. She swears the Mel Goes to Hell series ambushed her on a crowded train and wouldn't leave her alone.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews
June 9, 2019
A quick read that sees Maria found drifting naked on a raft on the open ocean. William saves her from the sea, but then has his work cut out to protect her from the sailors on his ship. They get separated when tragedy happens, but is Maria really what she seems? I enjoyed this book and will have to read the next one to find out what happens to William and Maria.
March 7, 2018
Trying to express how disappointed I am with this book is not going to be easy. I don't give one-star ratings lightly, and I've been going over this book again and again in my mind trying to decide if it really deserved the rating. A lot of people seem to like the book, and have totally glossed over the fact I'm going to bring up.
The book is good until about the 60% mark. And then...
Well rape. In looking over the other reviews it seems like most of the readers missed this. My guess it because it's the female protagonist and love interest that perpetuates the act, and we are not accustomed to thinking in these terms.
So lets take gender out of the equation.
Character A and Character B are falling in love. During a make-out scene when Character A tries to initiate sex, Character B refuses and makes it clear that it not what they want at this point in the relationship. A DAY LATER, at a party Character B gets drunk, Character A does not. That night Character A climbs into bed with Character B and has sex with them. Sometime later Character A begins having sex again with Character B and this time Character B wakes up. Did you get that? Character B was ASLEEP during the first sex act. Character B is shocked and deeply disturbed upon waking, breaking off the act, and leaving the room immediately.
IF A PERSON IS NOT ABLE TO GIVE CONSENT - IT'S RAPE.
It doesn't matter who the person is, male or female, or if there is a relationship (of any kind) between the people, there must be consent. To play it off like this is a love scene, and to have it play out graphically over several page is absolutely disgusting. For all the people reviewing this book and it's steaminess, really?! Really? It's not steamy, it's wrong.
The book goes on to have a couple of scenes where other male characters attempt to rape the female protagonist, the author clearly spelling it out that it's rape in those cases.
For me this completely overshadows the rest of the book about a siren/mermaid being rescued by a boat full of men she can't understand and the great fish-out-of-water/ little mermaid retelling this could have been.
Bottom Line:
I don't like graphic or erotic sex scenes anyway but... Consent is consent is consent.
The book is good until about the 60% mark. And then...
Well rape. In looking over the other reviews it seems like most of the readers missed this. My guess it because it's the female protagonist and love interest that perpetuates the act, and we are not accustomed to thinking in these terms.
So lets take gender out of the equation.
Character A and Character B are falling in love. During a make-out scene when Character A tries to initiate sex, Character B refuses and makes it clear that it not what they want at this point in the relationship. A DAY LATER, at a party Character B gets drunk, Character A does not. That night Character A climbs into bed with Character B and has sex with them. Sometime later Character A begins having sex again with Character B and this time Character B wakes up. Did you get that? Character B was ASLEEP during the first sex act. Character B is shocked and deeply disturbed upon waking, breaking off the act, and leaving the room immediately.
IF A PERSON IS NOT ABLE TO GIVE CONSENT - IT'S RAPE.
It doesn't matter who the person is, male or female, or if there is a relationship (of any kind) between the people, there must be consent. To play it off like this is a love scene, and to have it play out graphically over several page is absolutely disgusting. For all the people reviewing this book and it's steaminess, really?! Really? It's not steamy, it's wrong.
The book goes on to have a couple of scenes where other male characters attempt to rape the female protagonist, the author clearly spelling it out that it's rape in those cases.
For me this completely overshadows the rest of the book about a siren/mermaid being rescued by a boat full of men she can't understand and the great fish-out-of-water/ little mermaid retelling this could have been.
Bottom Line:
I don't like graphic or erotic sex scenes anyway but... Consent is consent is consent.
December 20, 2021
just not for me.... Quick read but virtually no plot.
September 3, 2014
There were a lot of things that made this book unique, starting with a main character who can't speak English and therefore barely says a word. Somehow this works perfectly, and that's a huge credit to the author. Maria still comes across as a strong character, her thoughts and feelings are relayed to the reader and even though she doesn't understand the words, other characters still talk to her, giving the reader a perspective on Maria's story that the woman herself doesn't have.
With small parts of Maria's past weaved into the story, the reader is given just enough information to suspect she has a dark secret. It was this concept that propelled me forward and in the end when I finally discovered the truth, I wasn't disappointed, in fact it just left me wanting more!
Demelza spends a lot of time researching for her work and this definitely shows. The description of life on a boat adds credibility to her story, but it's done in such a way that you don't even notice it.
Absolutely a five star read!
With small parts of Maria's past weaved into the story, the reader is given just enough information to suspect she has a dark secret. It was this concept that propelled me forward and in the end when I finally discovered the truth, I wasn't disappointed, in fact it just left me wanting more!
Demelza spends a lot of time researching for her work and this definitely shows. The description of life on a boat adds credibility to her story, but it's done in such a way that you don't even notice it.
Absolutely a five star read!
September 4, 2014
Demelza Carlton had me from the first paragraph. I wanted to know about Maria and why she was sent from her home never to see her family again.
Where does Maria come from? Is she an assassin? Why kill the person she loved? I needed these questions answered sooner rather than later so there was no way this book was being put down until I read the whole thing.
Maria’s strong character hit you from the first chapter…no one was going to get the better of her unless it was what she wanted.
When she was rescued I felt Maria’s frustration on not being able to understand what they were saying and was grateful to William for being a gentleman.
There is so much Marie does not know…chocolate, a man shaving simple things to us but confusing to her. Is she an alien and that is why she has no concept of what is the norm to us? Then as you continue reading you realize she is not an alien but something just as strange.
This is a book you won’t want to put down until your questions are answered. What happens to Maria and William? Read Ocean’s Justice and you may get your question answered. Oceans Trial Book 2 is as exciting as Oceans Justice
Where does Maria come from? Is she an assassin? Why kill the person she loved? I needed these questions answered sooner rather than later so there was no way this book was being put down until I read the whole thing.
Maria’s strong character hit you from the first chapter…no one was going to get the better of her unless it was what she wanted.
When she was rescued I felt Maria’s frustration on not being able to understand what they were saying and was grateful to William for being a gentleman.
There is so much Marie does not know…chocolate, a man shaving simple things to us but confusing to her. Is she an alien and that is why she has no concept of what is the norm to us? Then as you continue reading you realize she is not an alien but something just as strange.
This is a book you won’t want to put down until your questions are answered. What happens to Maria and William? Read Ocean’s Justice and you may get your question answered. Oceans Trial Book 2 is as exciting as Oceans Justice
December 18, 2016
Ocean's Justice (Turbulence and Triumph #1) by Demelza Carlton is a wonderful novel that had me from page one and what a shocking ending. Not the ending I wanted but I am not the writer, and yet, the ending fit. Great story and I will certainly read book 2! Girl gets saved from raft as she floats adrift, near death, by a ship of men. The men make bets if she will live. She lives then half of them think she is a curse and half think she is an omen of good luck. The longer she is on the boat, so much happens.... Great story!
March 18, 2021
A story based on the tale of the Little Mermaid with a twist. When William MacGregor hauls Maria out of the sea, he has no idea who or what she is. Unable to understand English (or any other language come to that!), Maria is confused and out of place, and unable to enlighten him.
A gentle story which does grow to have a bit a of a bite, in line with a fairytale retelling, not action packed, more focused on the characters and relationships which grow a bit heated eventually. Well written story, which is a very quick and easy read, leaving you wanting more, and wanting to know what happens next.
A gentle story which does grow to have a bit a of a bite, in line with a fairytale retelling, not action packed, more focused on the characters and relationships which grow a bit heated eventually. Well written story, which is a very quick and easy read, leaving you wanting more, and wanting to know what happens next.
July 9, 2024
• Definitely won’t be continuing the series. ———————
• Chapter 27 & Chapter 28 are repeat chapters of Chapter 25 & Chapter 26.
• Chapter 27 & Chapter 28 are repeat chapters of Chapter 25 & Chapter 26.
September 16, 2014
Yippee! Another mermaid story, Ocean’s Justice by Demelza Carlton.
A humorous and sexy introduction to Demelza’s new Ocean’s Justice series. Recommended for adults.
This novella only took me a couple of hours. I was curious, happy, sad and left wanting MORE.
I love a kickass female protagonist, no matter WHAT she is!
A woman on a ship of superstitious men cannot be good. But she has two men that will do whatever they can to see that she is okay and stays that way.
William McGregor pulled her from the sea. He quickly becomes her protector, her hero. Little does he know, she can take care of herself. He is a gentleman and proves that chivalry still exists.
Charlie, the embarrassed young man, whose clothes she wears, has a serious crush on her.
Allchin – what a great name for the cook. Hints at the humor in Demelza’s wonderful tale.
She is in a world where she knows nothing and cannot communicate. Where did she come from?
Her introduction to chocolate is a sensual one.
Her first taste of rum was a doozy.
Demelza Carlton has a way with words. Her descriptions are vivid and place me right in the middle of the action, like a fly on the wall.
I love her blend of savagery and humor. Even during the worst parts, I usually have a smile on my face. I hope that doesn’t tell my badness.
At the end of the novella, Demelza asks, “What is your favorite part of the story?” It’s hard to choose just one.
I smiled through so much, I will have to say, the part that put tears in my eyes. BUT, I cannot tell you that part. You will have to find out for yourself. If you love mermaids, Ocean’s Justice is a MUST READ.
I wanted to be able to say, “Tell me what hurts, you great big baby, so I know what to tend first.”
A humorous and sexy introduction to Demelza’s new Ocean’s Justice series. Recommended for adults.
This novella only took me a couple of hours. I was curious, happy, sad and left wanting MORE.
I love a kickass female protagonist, no matter WHAT she is!
A woman on a ship of superstitious men cannot be good. But she has two men that will do whatever they can to see that she is okay and stays that way.
William McGregor pulled her from the sea. He quickly becomes her protector, her hero. Little does he know, she can take care of herself. He is a gentleman and proves that chivalry still exists.
Charlie, the embarrassed young man, whose clothes she wears, has a serious crush on her.
Allchin – what a great name for the cook. Hints at the humor in Demelza’s wonderful tale.
She is in a world where she knows nothing and cannot communicate. Where did she come from?
Her introduction to chocolate is a sensual one.
Her first taste of rum was a doozy.
Demelza Carlton has a way with words. Her descriptions are vivid and place me right in the middle of the action, like a fly on the wall.
I love her blend of savagery and humor. Even during the worst parts, I usually have a smile on my face. I hope that doesn’t tell my badness.
At the end of the novella, Demelza asks, “What is your favorite part of the story?” It’s hard to choose just one.
I smiled through so much, I will have to say, the part that put tears in my eyes. BUT, I cannot tell you that part. You will have to find out for yourself. If you love mermaids, Ocean’s Justice is a MUST READ.
I wanted to be able to say, “Tell me what hurts, you great big baby, so I know what to tend first.”
April 11, 2021
Trash.
It's not really written poorly, or has grammatical errors. But jeesh. I don't know if you've been in a foreign country, but I guarantee to you, you won't be understanding every sentence by the end of week one.
So you got this mermaid/siren creature just hangin' out on a makeshift raft in the middle of the ocean. Boat of dudes picks her up. You have a boatful of guys lusting after her, but one Scotsmen in particular. She doesn't understand their language. This installment of the plot-line (there are three) is a cliffhanger, which takes place over the course of a week (116 pages. Girl.) By the end of which--apparently she can ONLY speak a grand total of twelve words, but understands and relates to complete sentences by the end of it. Nah. I call bullshit all the way to the shore and back.
There's lots of other potentially problematic issues that are written in for the assumed time period: women as chattel, stark sexual chemistry (potentially without consent, but I didn't read it that way), murder as pleasure...it's just a big old' pile of trash.
I mean.
Maybe if this 'book' was a complete thought--I could get behind it. Maybe if it resolves its issues, that would have been neat. But nah. I don't see it. It was a free and I'm not sure it was totally worth my time. I'm just sad it didn't go into short story fiction-land (and avoided such romantic ardor), or swish up into some weird dystopian chapter book genre.
Just reads like a pity.
It's not really written poorly, or has grammatical errors. But jeesh. I don't know if you've been in a foreign country, but I guarantee to you, you won't be understanding every sentence by the end of week one.
So you got this mermaid/siren creature just hangin' out on a makeshift raft in the middle of the ocean. Boat of dudes picks her up. You have a boatful of guys lusting after her, but one Scotsmen in particular. She doesn't understand their language. This installment of the plot-line (there are three) is a cliffhanger, which takes place over the course of a week (116 pages. Girl.) By the end of which--apparently she can ONLY speak a grand total of twelve words, but understands and relates to complete sentences by the end of it. Nah. I call bullshit all the way to the shore and back.
There's lots of other potentially problematic issues that are written in for the assumed time period: women as chattel, stark sexual chemistry (potentially without consent, but I didn't read it that way), murder as pleasure...it's just a big old' pile of trash.
I mean.
Maybe if this 'book' was a complete thought--I could get behind it. Maybe if it resolves its issues, that would have been neat. But nah. I don't see it. It was a free and I'm not sure it was totally worth my time. I'm just sad it didn't go into short story fiction-land (and avoided such romantic ardor), or swish up into some weird dystopian chapter book genre.
Just reads like a pity.
November 23, 2015
Had some promise, but unfortunately wildly un-even and the latter half of the book litearlly just climaxes to get us to a climax.
May 8, 2024
This was a bit on the short side, and nothing really happened.
June 28, 2017
Eu adoro sereias. Não gostei do início, pois o achei muito lento. É um livro de fácil leitura que se passa num navio. A minha personagem preferido foi William, um marinheiro escocês muito educado e amoroso. A sereia Maria é uma mulher de coração partido, mas de carácter forte.
Achei o vilão patético. E amei as referencias ao Japão e a Austrália.
Achei o vilão patético. E amei as referencias ao Japão e a Austrália.
February 4, 2024
Adrift on the ocean again – perhaps that was my fate. At least the ocean's depths would claim my attackers. Ocean's justice. I smiled.
What happened to "no is no" in this book?
added-it
March 11, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/11/2021)! 🎁
October 10, 2017
Ocean’s Justice
Ocean’s Gift
Turbulence and Triumph #1
Demelza Carlton
Lost Plot Press, Sep 2014
Kindle, 172 Pages
Also available in paperback
Genre(s) Fairy Re-tale in 6 Parts
Source Author
Ocean’s Trial
Ocean’s Gift
Turbulence and Triumph #2
Demelza Carlton
Lost Plot Press, Sep 2014
Kindle, 158 Pages
Also available in paperback
Genre(s) Fairy Re-tale
Source Author
Other books in this series:
Ocean’s Triumph #3, Ocean’s Ride #4, Ocean’s Cage #5, Ocean’s Birth #6
My Disclaimer:
I was provided complimentary copies of these books. I am voluntarily providing an honest review in which all opinions are fully my own. I am not being compensated in any way.
~ Judi E. Easley for Blue Cat Review
What it’s about…Ocean’s Justice
This is the first part of six, so there is no ending to this book. The story stops at a stopping place and picks up in the next book. To get the whole story, you must read all six books. I’m reviewing only the two that I read. This first one finds our main character, Maria, adrift on a raft at sea. She’s nude, speaks no English (the language of the sailors of this ship that “rescue” her), but understands some Dutch. She has memories of a ship’s fire and men died when the ship sunk. She remembers a man named Giuseppe. And she has been turned out of her home for some reason.
William McGregor is a handsome Scotsman. He’s a passenger on the Trevessa, looking for a bit of adventure along with his employment. He’s not adverse to a lovely lady either. Mr. McGregor gives Maria his protection as the superstitious sailors are all for tossing the beautiful woman back to the ocean when she can’t tell them her story. Either that or raping her. But William can’t be everywhere to protect her, even though he tries.
In spite of lifeboats and the Captain’s infamous canned milk, the weather, the sea, and sailors’ superstitions have their way. Once more, Maria is adrift at sea and picked up by another ship. This time she’s better prepared.
Technical Tidbits…
The cover is a bit on the plain side to me. Though I liked it. There are two covers, it seems. The one I had is the one with the mermaid on it that I show above. I like the composition and all. I just think it needs more color and embellishment, a bit more drama to make it match the story that’s in the book.
The storyline is good. It’s not totally original as this is a retelling of the fairy tale, The Little Mermaid. I haven’t read the original story. I suppose someday I should do that since there are so many retellings of it these days. I should know what the original is so I can tell what these other authors are changing or embellishing.
The characters were fairly good. It was difficult to really know any particular character. There wasn’t a lot of background on anyone. I think Mr. McGregor got the most detail actually. Maria is still something of a mystery, though you are supposed to “know” her already by knowing what she is. Ms. Carlton added some interesting touches to the crew, like Mr. Kaito, the green-tea drinking cook with the interesting fighting style. And Captain Foster who wanted all lifeboats to be stocked with canned milk. There’s also young Charlie, who thinks Maria should be his because of their age similarities. He keeps interrupting William and Maria to get her to come and do things with him.
The pace was fast. Poor Mr. McGregor was kept really busy trying to keep Maria safe. Between the weather and the other sailors with their ill intent, he really had his hands full right up until the final storm. That’s when Maria took a hand in things, too.
The tension was pretty consistent right up until the end. It was like waiting to see who was going to stick a knife in your back in a dark place. Who’s going to kill William? Or who was going to get their hands on Maria? What will the next rescue lead to?
What it’s about…Ocean’s Trial
This book starts off right where the first one ends. Maria’s been rescued by an English-speaking crew again, but this time there’s no threat to her life. She’s been kept a secret and smuggled to shore in Fremantle to live with Merry D’Angelo, a very nice widow. Her command of English has improved greatly, thanks to Merry, and she’s posing as Merry’s niece, a fisherman’s widow.
She’s working hard alongside the fishermen helping sell their fish and has earned their respect because she really knows her fish. There’s one young fisherman who feels a lot more than respect for her, too. Tony and Maria work closely together and are great friends, and Tony would like to take their friendship further. But her pasts are catching up with her. Yes. Pasts. She needs to find out what happened to William McGregor in that final storm. Is he still alive and does he still love her? But older connections are catching up with her as well. And these may prove deadly.
Technical Tidbits…
The cover wasn’t one that I really cared for. I didn’t feel it said much about the story. There were so many dramatic scenes that could have been depicted on it. What was used was disappointingly drab.
The storyline is again, a continuation of the retelling of The Little Mermaid story. The author has created a wonderful “down under” freedom to the story by placing it in Australia.
The characters continue to develop as the story continues. We learn so much more about Maria’s story when she meets up with a significant person from her past. We learn more about how her species see humans, as well and how different she really is.
The pace continues fast and furious in this second book, especially once Maria decides to take off on her journey.
The tension remained consistent throughout this second book. While some questions were answered from the first book, there were more questions piled on that now need answers and make you want to pick up the third book to get them.
And this is where you STOP reading if you don’t want any SPOILERS…
The good, the bad, and the ugly…and how much it lit up my life… ✰✰✰✰
I kept trying to remind myself that voyages such as these would take months to complete and that there would be plenty of time for Maria to learn the language. However, there was nothing in the story to make me slow down and keep that thought in my head. Everything was happening fast and furious, so it seemed like she was something of a “Super Woman” learning the language very quickly with William. Then when she was with Merry, she learned to speak and act like a lady in a very short time. That was another leap forward.
It wasn’t just the language, either. She understood the value of those pearls when she found the moaning oysters. She understood the beauty of them for jewelry and had a necklace made, as well the financial aspect of them and how to get the best price for them. All this for a simple girl from the sea? Hhmmmm…
When Maria has her confrontation with her mother, her mother says Maria should just seduce the human male and get pregnant, then kill him and come home to become the head of the Council. Since Maria’s older sister is dead, it is Maria’s duty. There is a comment made about the older sister’s death, but no explanation about how she died. Is Maria responsible for her sister’s death somehow? Is that why she is banned from her home? Is getting pregnant by a human the only way she will be allowed to come home? I’m still confused about that. I still want an answer to that part. But Maria doesn’t see humans as disposable. She’s in love with William. She loves Merry almost as a mother. She loves Tony sort of like a brother, but maybe as more. That’s why she needs to find out if William is still alive and loves her.
BTW, this being adrift thing is getting a bit old. She starts out adrift on a raft and the Trevessa picks her up. Then the Trevessa sinks in a storm and she’s adrift in a lifeboat for Merry’s friends to find her. Then at the end where she stows away on the way to Christmas Island. That’s almost as bad as adrift. One of these days, she’s going to have to buy a ticket and get her own cabin. She probably doesn’t have that kind of luck. Seems to me the story of The Little Mermaid is a sad one all the way to the end.
You need to understand that I really do judge covers! Not with stars, but I love a great cover on a good book. There were so many good things that could have been on this second cover. Maria could have been in a lifeboat. They could have used the pearls somehow and brought that part out. Or Maria perched on the ship as she stowed away to Christmas Island. Maria at the fish market with that huge fish that only she could identify would have been a great cover.
Ocean’s Gift
Turbulence and Triumph #1
Demelza Carlton
Lost Plot Press, Sep 2014
Kindle, 172 Pages
Also available in paperback
Genre(s) Fairy Re-tale in 6 Parts
Source Author
Ocean’s Trial
Ocean’s Gift
Turbulence and Triumph #2
Demelza Carlton
Lost Plot Press, Sep 2014
Kindle, 158 Pages
Also available in paperback
Genre(s) Fairy Re-tale
Source Author
Other books in this series:
Ocean’s Triumph #3, Ocean’s Ride #4, Ocean’s Cage #5, Ocean’s Birth #6
My Disclaimer:
I was provided complimentary copies of these books. I am voluntarily providing an honest review in which all opinions are fully my own. I am not being compensated in any way.
~ Judi E. Easley for Blue Cat Review
What it’s about…Ocean’s Justice
This is the first part of six, so there is no ending to this book. The story stops at a stopping place and picks up in the next book. To get the whole story, you must read all six books. I’m reviewing only the two that I read. This first one finds our main character, Maria, adrift on a raft at sea. She’s nude, speaks no English (the language of the sailors of this ship that “rescue” her), but understands some Dutch. She has memories of a ship’s fire and men died when the ship sunk. She remembers a man named Giuseppe. And she has been turned out of her home for some reason.
William McGregor is a handsome Scotsman. He’s a passenger on the Trevessa, looking for a bit of adventure along with his employment. He’s not adverse to a lovely lady either. Mr. McGregor gives Maria his protection as the superstitious sailors are all for tossing the beautiful woman back to the ocean when she can’t tell them her story. Either that or raping her. But William can’t be everywhere to protect her, even though he tries.
In spite of lifeboats and the Captain’s infamous canned milk, the weather, the sea, and sailors’ superstitions have their way. Once more, Maria is adrift at sea and picked up by another ship. This time she’s better prepared.
Technical Tidbits…
The cover is a bit on the plain side to me. Though I liked it. There are two covers, it seems. The one I had is the one with the mermaid on it that I show above. I like the composition and all. I just think it needs more color and embellishment, a bit more drama to make it match the story that’s in the book.
The storyline is good. It’s not totally original as this is a retelling of the fairy tale, The Little Mermaid. I haven’t read the original story. I suppose someday I should do that since there are so many retellings of it these days. I should know what the original is so I can tell what these other authors are changing or embellishing.
The characters were fairly good. It was difficult to really know any particular character. There wasn’t a lot of background on anyone. I think Mr. McGregor got the most detail actually. Maria is still something of a mystery, though you are supposed to “know” her already by knowing what she is. Ms. Carlton added some interesting touches to the crew, like Mr. Kaito, the green-tea drinking cook with the interesting fighting style. And Captain Foster who wanted all lifeboats to be stocked with canned milk. There’s also young Charlie, who thinks Maria should be his because of their age similarities. He keeps interrupting William and Maria to get her to come and do things with him.
The pace was fast. Poor Mr. McGregor was kept really busy trying to keep Maria safe. Between the weather and the other sailors with their ill intent, he really had his hands full right up until the final storm. That’s when Maria took a hand in things, too.
The tension was pretty consistent right up until the end. It was like waiting to see who was going to stick a knife in your back in a dark place. Who’s going to kill William? Or who was going to get their hands on Maria? What will the next rescue lead to?
What it’s about…Ocean’s Trial
This book starts off right where the first one ends. Maria’s been rescued by an English-speaking crew again, but this time there’s no threat to her life. She’s been kept a secret and smuggled to shore in Fremantle to live with Merry D’Angelo, a very nice widow. Her command of English has improved greatly, thanks to Merry, and she’s posing as Merry’s niece, a fisherman’s widow.
She’s working hard alongside the fishermen helping sell their fish and has earned their respect because she really knows her fish. There’s one young fisherman who feels a lot more than respect for her, too. Tony and Maria work closely together and are great friends, and Tony would like to take their friendship further. But her pasts are catching up with her. Yes. Pasts. She needs to find out what happened to William McGregor in that final storm. Is he still alive and does he still love her? But older connections are catching up with her as well. And these may prove deadly.
Technical Tidbits…
The cover wasn’t one that I really cared for. I didn’t feel it said much about the story. There were so many dramatic scenes that could have been depicted on it. What was used was disappointingly drab.
The storyline is again, a continuation of the retelling of The Little Mermaid story. The author has created a wonderful “down under” freedom to the story by placing it in Australia.
The characters continue to develop as the story continues. We learn so much more about Maria’s story when she meets up with a significant person from her past. We learn more about how her species see humans, as well and how different she really is.
The pace continues fast and furious in this second book, especially once Maria decides to take off on her journey.
The tension remained consistent throughout this second book. While some questions were answered from the first book, there were more questions piled on that now need answers and make you want to pick up the third book to get them.
And this is where you STOP reading if you don’t want any SPOILERS…
The good, the bad, and the ugly…and how much it lit up my life… ✰✰✰✰
I kept trying to remind myself that voyages such as these would take months to complete and that there would be plenty of time for Maria to learn the language. However, there was nothing in the story to make me slow down and keep that thought in my head. Everything was happening fast and furious, so it seemed like she was something of a “Super Woman” learning the language very quickly with William. Then when she was with Merry, she learned to speak and act like a lady in a very short time. That was another leap forward.
It wasn’t just the language, either. She understood the value of those pearls when she found the moaning oysters. She understood the beauty of them for jewelry and had a necklace made, as well the financial aspect of them and how to get the best price for them. All this for a simple girl from the sea? Hhmmmm…
When Maria has her confrontation with her mother, her mother says Maria should just seduce the human male and get pregnant, then kill him and come home to become the head of the Council. Since Maria’s older sister is dead, it is Maria’s duty. There is a comment made about the older sister’s death, but no explanation about how she died. Is Maria responsible for her sister’s death somehow? Is that why she is banned from her home? Is getting pregnant by a human the only way she will be allowed to come home? I’m still confused about that. I still want an answer to that part. But Maria doesn’t see humans as disposable. She’s in love with William. She loves Merry almost as a mother. She loves Tony sort of like a brother, but maybe as more. That’s why she needs to find out if William is still alive and loves her.
BTW, this being adrift thing is getting a bit old. She starts out adrift on a raft and the Trevessa picks her up. Then the Trevessa sinks in a storm and she’s adrift in a lifeboat for Merry’s friends to find her. Then at the end where she stows away on the way to Christmas Island. That’s almost as bad as adrift. One of these days, she’s going to have to buy a ticket and get her own cabin. She probably doesn’t have that kind of luck. Seems to me the story of The Little Mermaid is a sad one all the way to the end.
You need to understand that I really do judge covers! Not with stars, but I love a great cover on a good book. There were so many good things that could have been on this second cover. Maria could have been in a lifeboat. They could have used the pearls somehow and brought that part out. Or Maria perched on the ship as she stowed away to Christmas Island. Maria at the fish market with that huge fish that only she could identify would have been a great cover.
September 11, 2014
Set in the past, long before Ms. Carlton's "Ocean's Gift" series begins, "Ocean's Justice" marks the commencement of a mermaid's lifetime of tales.
A beautiful woman is saved by William McGregor after she is victimized by a shipwreck.
Maria is mild-mannered, skittish, and seeing as she has a secret to keep hidden, she doesn't say much. I suppose the fact that a mermaid infiltrating the Trevessa as human would definitely be keeping quiet, huh? With sailors and their superstitions that a woman on board brought them a cursed journey, if I were Maria, I'd be on guard too. Then again, since she's knew at this whole human bit, it becomes quite clear in the beginning of this story that she is unable to express herself properly in order to be understood by the members of the crew that she befriends.
Upset at losing her love, Giuseppe, Maria never expected that William would not only fight for her on multiple occasions, but that they'd develop feelings for one another.
In Ocean's Justice, Carlton manages to capture the reader with a very realistic cast that tugs at your heartstrings, keeps you riveted as you sit on the edge of your seat, and sets you to wonder what will happen next. If you think that you'll see a happy ending in this one, think again because as per her usual, Carlton manages to leave you hanging, although in a very satisfactory fashion. Let's just say that by the time you finish this book, you'll be glad the other one is available and you'll definitely be rushing to read the next one to see what happens next!
A beautiful woman is saved by William McGregor after she is victimized by a shipwreck.
Maria is mild-mannered, skittish, and seeing as she has a secret to keep hidden, she doesn't say much. I suppose the fact that a mermaid infiltrating the Trevessa as human would definitely be keeping quiet, huh? With sailors and their superstitions that a woman on board brought them a cursed journey, if I were Maria, I'd be on guard too. Then again, since she's knew at this whole human bit, it becomes quite clear in the beginning of this story that she is unable to express herself properly in order to be understood by the members of the crew that she befriends.
Upset at losing her love, Giuseppe, Maria never expected that William would not only fight for her on multiple occasions, but that they'd develop feelings for one another.
In Ocean's Justice, Carlton manages to capture the reader with a very realistic cast that tugs at your heartstrings, keeps you riveted as you sit on the edge of your seat, and sets you to wonder what will happen next. If you think that you'll see a happy ending in this one, think again because as per her usual, Carlton manages to leave you hanging, although in a very satisfactory fashion. Let's just say that by the time you finish this book, you'll be glad the other one is available and you'll definitely be rushing to read the next one to see what happens next!
December 21, 2021
'A modern retelling of The Little Mermaid' sounded interesting, but I was wrong. I gave up on this book about 20% into it, since it was turning into a rather juvenile romance that was starting to read suspiciously like another (very typical) book I read a few years back. Naked girl adrift in the ocean gets picked up by a ship full of sailors. One of them - of course, the heroic, handsome one - insisits on rescuing her. Gosh, do you think they are going to fall in love?
The writing bordered on ridiculous. There is a lot of dialogue, but castaway Maria understands none of it since she doesn't understand English. So what is the point? There were a lot of Disney Little Mermaid type references, which seemed kind of unimaginative.
I would say this should be a YA novel, until I read some of the reviews mentioning explicit sex seems. Seriously? I guess it could appeal to sex-hungry women who don't really read for a plot.
Also, it's the first in a series. I was afraid I would slog through to the end, and find a non-ending. A 'read my next book!' ending, and I could not face that, becasue I already knew I was done.
The writing bordered on ridiculous. There is a lot of dialogue, but castaway Maria understands none of it since she doesn't understand English. So what is the point? There were a lot of Disney Little Mermaid type references, which seemed kind of unimaginative.
I would say this should be a YA novel, until I read some of the reviews mentioning explicit sex seems. Seriously? I guess it could appeal to sex-hungry women who don't really read for a plot.
Also, it's the first in a series. I was afraid I would slog through to the end, and find a non-ending. A 'read my next book!' ending, and I could not face that, becasue I already knew I was done.
August 29, 2023
So first a warning. This is book one of a series. Can you read it on it’s own? Sure, but you will find yourself with tons of questions unanswered so keep that in mind.
Maria is a girl floating on a raft at the open ocean, what we know from her introduction is that she has been exiled from her people, she is very young and a man she loved named Giuseppe is now dead and it weighs heavily on her.
Eventually she is seen by men on a passing ship and brought into it. Opinions seem divided on her rescue, as some people obviously think you should rescue whatever persons you find adrift and some men think she could be a bad omen, and some think she could be mermaid planning to sink their ship.
Well, they right in one count, she is indeed a mermaid. Not a mystery to be surprised from as the cover and title will tell you.
They do are wrong in her planning to sink them… well only if they don’t piss her off.
So a thing to note about Maria. She comes in peace but it’s not a woman to be crossed, and her patience is limited.
Maria is literal fish out of the water among the (all) men on the ship, early on the book we realize the society she comes from exists in complete separation from the one the European sailors of the decade of 1920s come from. (The time is important as it colors how these men act and the technology they have at hand) Her people know of the humans… know where they live and have the barest contact with them, the humans know even less of them and most don’t even know they are real.
Maria doesn’t know English which is the main language of the ship, and doesn’t know any of the other languages spoken on the ship except for a teeny tiny bit of Dutch. One of the men, William McGregor a well off passenger decides to take her under her wing given he has the time to be responsible for another person, and he was one of the main proponents of rescuing her. So he offers her a bunk bed on her room, and between him and one young men Charles “Charlie” Seaborn they lend her some clothes, show her around, introduce her with the other men as much as they can, bring her up for meals and try to teach her under the assumption she is a foreigner and might as well try to teach everything from the ground up. They do have a tendency to talk a lot about themselves even if they know she has no idea of what they are saying but I guess is a thing people with a captive audience might find themselves doing.
The story is tell in first person but yet we read all that is told to Maria even if she doesn’t understand it. Maria at one points speaks that “she doesn’t forget and she doesn’t forgive” and in a subsequent book we learn it might be quite literal. So a very memory is mostly a skill to be able to narrate the events in retrospective in detail, also a reason she is able to get a quick hang if not of the specificities of language of the intention when some words are combined with certain actions. Still circumstances are going to surpass the speed she is able to learn things at times.
Even if Maria is the point of view character, she is kind of a mystery too. Slowly we are going to get tidbits of what happened to her that she ended on the situation at the beginning of the story, how Giuseppe died and what are some of the things she can do that humans can’t besides the ability to live underwater.
On the way there is a story of attraction between Maria and McGregor. McGregor is smitten with Maria since the beginning but there is the barrier of the language and additional hurdle that a man of the old 20s who considers himself a gentleman will act in certain ways with a lady he is serious about marrying. Maria is still on a one of the phases of mourning Giuseppe but she is attracted to McGregor and finds herself navigating the guesswork of he likes her back, her people don’t seem to have much hang ups about sex and him trying to guard her decency is going to be completely alien and confusing to her.
In this book there are threats though, remember I mentioned some sailors were wary about taking her in? Well, some are just superstitious and fear the unknown and a couple are REALLY bad men. The type that thinks women that are strange are whores, and the type that think whores exist to be mistreated by them. So things will start from mild hostility in their part and will escalate until overt aggression. But as mentioned, Maria is not a being powerless against physical attacks and not the forgiving type.
The book is going to end leading the next one. If you care to know this books are continuity heavy, and things that happen here will go on the next one. Demelza Carlton has a style where she builds some things early and returns to them later maybe on other books so you might take it in account.
I like the book, I like Maria. I like that in this case our protagonist is an apex predator trying to play nice with the other beings instead of a victim of circumstance. She is hanging out with the humans on the ship because she is curious about them and as she is very lonely, she wishes to socialize and make new bonds; not because she doesn’t have any choice but to depend on their goodwill. I may not like her always, and some of her choices leave me “girl no” but I find it refreshing to see a character that could just kill everybody and move on with he life, and that sometimes really thinks about it but yet doesn’t because she is trying to make an effort. Maybe this is a type of protagonist you are interested to read maybe you desire for a nicer one.
I recommend you this book if you are interested mermaids that are little bit more mean towards humanity yet not automatic threats. Consider this and other books of the series will be bittersweet at times, Maria will not always get what she wants, will not always do the nicer choice and in this one she might sacrifice potential happiness in order to make sure she gets revenge. Not all her choices will be informed and not all will be smart. If you are not liking this book early you will not like it later and it’s okay, if you are waiting for answers you will have them eventually if you keep reading the series but it will take a while.
Maria is a girl floating on a raft at the open ocean, what we know from her introduction is that she has been exiled from her people, she is very young and a man she loved named Giuseppe is now dead and it weighs heavily on her.
Eventually she is seen by men on a passing ship and brought into it. Opinions seem divided on her rescue, as some people obviously think you should rescue whatever persons you find adrift and some men think she could be a bad omen, and some think she could be mermaid planning to sink their ship.
Well, they right in one count, she is indeed a mermaid. Not a mystery to be surprised from as the cover and title will tell you.
They do are wrong in her planning to sink them… well only if they don’t piss her off.
So a thing to note about Maria. She comes in peace but it’s not a woman to be crossed, and her patience is limited.
Maria is literal fish out of the water among the (all) men on the ship, early on the book we realize the society she comes from exists in complete separation from the one the European sailors of the decade of 1920s come from. (The time is important as it colors how these men act and the technology they have at hand) Her people know of the humans… know where they live and have the barest contact with them, the humans know even less of them and most don’t even know they are real.
Maria doesn’t know English which is the main language of the ship, and doesn’t know any of the other languages spoken on the ship except for a teeny tiny bit of Dutch. One of the men, William McGregor a well off passenger decides to take her under her wing given he has the time to be responsible for another person, and he was one of the main proponents of rescuing her. So he offers her a bunk bed on her room, and between him and one young men Charles “Charlie” Seaborn they lend her some clothes, show her around, introduce her with the other men as much as they can, bring her up for meals and try to teach her under the assumption she is a foreigner and might as well try to teach everything from the ground up. They do have a tendency to talk a lot about themselves even if they know she has no idea of what they are saying but I guess is a thing people with a captive audience might find themselves doing.
The story is tell in first person but yet we read all that is told to Maria even if she doesn’t understand it. Maria at one points speaks that “she doesn’t forget and she doesn’t forgive” and in a subsequent book we learn it might be quite literal. So a very memory is mostly a skill to be able to narrate the events in retrospective in detail, also a reason she is able to get a quick hang if not of the specificities of language of the intention when some words are combined with certain actions. Still circumstances are going to surpass the speed she is able to learn things at times.
Even if Maria is the point of view character, she is kind of a mystery too. Slowly we are going to get tidbits of what happened to her that she ended on the situation at the beginning of the story, how Giuseppe died and what are some of the things she can do that humans can’t besides the ability to live underwater.
On the way there is a story of attraction between Maria and McGregor. McGregor is smitten with Maria since the beginning but there is the barrier of the language and additional hurdle that a man of the old 20s who considers himself a gentleman will act in certain ways with a lady he is serious about marrying. Maria is still on a one of the phases of mourning Giuseppe but she is attracted to McGregor and finds herself navigating the guesswork of he likes her back, her people don’t seem to have much hang ups about sex and him trying to guard her decency is going to be completely alien and confusing to her.
In this book there are threats though, remember I mentioned some sailors were wary about taking her in? Well, some are just superstitious and fear the unknown and a couple are REALLY bad men. The type that thinks women that are strange are whores, and the type that think whores exist to be mistreated by them. So things will start from mild hostility in their part and will escalate until overt aggression. But as mentioned, Maria is not a being powerless against physical attacks and not the forgiving type.
The book is going to end leading the next one. If you care to know this books are continuity heavy, and things that happen here will go on the next one. Demelza Carlton has a style where she builds some things early and returns to them later maybe on other books so you might take it in account.
I like the book, I like Maria. I like that in this case our protagonist is an apex predator trying to play nice with the other beings instead of a victim of circumstance. She is hanging out with the humans on the ship because she is curious about them and as she is very lonely, she wishes to socialize and make new bonds; not because she doesn’t have any choice but to depend on their goodwill. I may not like her always, and some of her choices leave me “girl no” but I find it refreshing to see a character that could just kill everybody and move on with he life, and that sometimes really thinks about it but yet doesn’t because she is trying to make an effort. Maybe this is a type of protagonist you are interested to read maybe you desire for a nicer one.
I recommend you this book if you are interested mermaids that are little bit more mean towards humanity yet not automatic threats. Consider this and other books of the series will be bittersweet at times, Maria will not always get what she wants, will not always do the nicer choice and in this one she might sacrifice potential happiness in order to make sure she gets revenge. Not all her choices will be informed and not all will be smart. If you are not liking this book early you will not like it later and it’s okay, if you are waiting for answers you will have them eventually if you keep reading the series but it will take a while.
November 25, 2014
This was a lovely book by Demelza Carlton, the first in the Ocean's Gift - Turbulence and Triumph series.
Written in first person, Ms. Carlton shows a beautiful ability to delve into the heart of the character, and creates a story which both captures the imagination and keeps you reading.
Ms. Carlton has created an interesting premise and to say too much here would ruin the secrets the story line holds. Suffice to say, Ms. Carlton has written about the early part of the 20th Century with great insight and brought the era back to life in a well-written and thought out story, which revolves around a young woman, Maria, who is rescued by the crew of the steamship Trevessa, when she is found adrift in the Indian Ocean.
We follow Maria's trials and tribulations on board the Trevessa, where she is treated with suspicion by the crew and with great sympathy and care by Scottish Engineer, William McGregor. A series of events lead to a dramatic and heartbreaking end for Maria and William, but Ms. Carlton leaves the ending open for the second book in the series.
Written in first person, Ms. Carlton shows a beautiful ability to delve into the heart of the character, and creates a story which both captures the imagination and keeps you reading.
Ms. Carlton has created an interesting premise and to say too much here would ruin the secrets the story line holds. Suffice to say, Ms. Carlton has written about the early part of the 20th Century with great insight and brought the era back to life in a well-written and thought out story, which revolves around a young woman, Maria, who is rescued by the crew of the steamship Trevessa, when she is found adrift in the Indian Ocean.
We follow Maria's trials and tribulations on board the Trevessa, where she is treated with suspicion by the crew and with great sympathy and care by Scottish Engineer, William McGregor. A series of events lead to a dramatic and heartbreaking end for Maria and William, but Ms. Carlton leaves the ending open for the second book in the series.
September 4, 2014
Ocean's Justice immediately enticed me into the wonderfully woven tale of Maria, the siren of the sea as she navigates her new life, banished from her home at only eighteen. We are teased with the mystery of why a man died at her hands and why she can no longer remain home. Lucky for Maria, she is discovered drifting at sea buy the men of the Trevessa and one in particular, William.
This is the first book I have ever read about a mermaid - other than Disney's Little Mermaid-Ha! and this is no bedtime story for kids...oh, no, this is a fantastic, steamy tale for grownups, full of magic, fantasy, and the love and desire a siren mermaid has for the gorgeous human William. Loved the story!
Maria has to be one of my favorite heroines. When we first meet her, she can hardly speak a word of English, so we have a fantastic arc as her character grows and as she navigates the journey of her new life.
This is the first book I have ever read about a mermaid - other than Disney's Little Mermaid-Ha! and this is no bedtime story for kids...oh, no, this is a fantastic, steamy tale for grownups, full of magic, fantasy, and the love and desire a siren mermaid has for the gorgeous human William. Loved the story!
Maria has to be one of my favorite heroines. When we first meet her, she can hardly speak a word of English, so we have a fantastic arc as her character grows and as she navigates the journey of her new life.
September 28, 2014
Well this is an interesting story. Just when I thought I had it figured out it changed.
Maria is found floating on a raft and taking on board a ship. Some of the crew want her thrown overboard thinking she's bad luck, some want to take advantage of there being a woman.
William, a passenger on the ship, takes it upon himself to protect her from those that want to hurt her.
It's obvious that's Maria is not a normal human but there's different clues as to what she is. Although its never revealed we find out enough to come to a conclusion.
It took me a little while to determine what time period this is as its never said.
Everyone thinks being a woman means she's unable to protect herself but she's surprising capable.
This is the first in a series and the story is interesting enough to make me want to continue it.
I received an ecopy from Story Cartel in exchange for a honest review.
Maria is found floating on a raft and taking on board a ship. Some of the crew want her thrown overboard thinking she's bad luck, some want to take advantage of there being a woman.
William, a passenger on the ship, takes it upon himself to protect her from those that want to hurt her.
It's obvious that's Maria is not a normal human but there's different clues as to what she is. Although its never revealed we find out enough to come to a conclusion.
It took me a little while to determine what time period this is as its never said.
Everyone thinks being a woman means she's unable to protect herself but she's surprising capable.
This is the first in a series and the story is interesting enough to make me want to continue it.
I received an ecopy from Story Cartel in exchange for a honest review.
October 1, 2014
I wasn't quite sure what to make of Ocean Justice when I first started reading it, but I had read one of Demelza Carlton's other books (Welcome to Hell) and thoroughly enjoyed it. In this story, Maria is saved at sea by the crew of the steamship Trevessa. She understands very few English words. That alone is unique in the way the author carried out the story. The relationship between Maria and William is exquisite as it unfolds, and I longed to know Maria's secret past.
The bad guys in the story are a bit two-dimensional, and I was disappointed that the book left off with a cliffhanger, as I really wanted to reach some sort of temporary ending to this particular story. At the same time, I also realize it's a way to keep readers continuing with the next installment. I'm sure I'll be one of them as it is an excellent story.
The bad guys in the story are a bit two-dimensional, and I was disappointed that the book left off with a cliffhanger, as I really wanted to reach some sort of temporary ending to this particular story. At the same time, I also realize it's a way to keep readers continuing with the next installment. I'm sure I'll be one of them as it is an excellent story.
January 20, 2018
Despite finding Maria drifting, alone and naked on a rickety raft, the ship's captain and William MacGregor see she has been abused, and vow to protect her as a lady. They find her a sailor's clothes, and try to protect her from the superstitious crewmen and those who would attack her. Eventually, the attempts of two men to rape and then kill her causes damage which sinks the ship, and Maria is separated from both William and the captain in the confusion of launching lifeboats. Once again Maria is adrift and alone, rescued but unable to communicate. Enter Aunt Merry, who clothes her and sets about teaching her English and guiding her through Australian society so she can find work. Maria is determined to repay Aunt Merry and make enough money to travel and find William, if he survived the shipwreck.
August 9, 2022
This was a quick and easy, but confusing, read. Too many things are left unclear. Hard to place the time: starts off feeling maybe 18th century, and then suddenly there are references to flappers and WW1 veterans. Hard to place the characters, who or what they are, even by the end of the 📖. Characters who are barely even 2-dimensional. Many unbelievable bits: knows no language, besides some Dutch
which is never explained, but suddenly understands most of the English in a few days; has never learned to dance (although she danced on her own to the sound of music) but can pull off intricate dances (e.g. a Scottish reel) and is acclaimed as an accomplished dancer, etc. And for such a short book, her breasts were mentioned WAY too often, even by the only other female besides the MC. Too much telling, and so on. Very superficial and clicheed.
which is never explained, but suddenly understands most of the English in a few days; has never learned to dance (although she danced on her own to the sound of music) but can pull off intricate dances (e.g. a Scottish reel) and is acclaimed as an accomplished dancer, etc. And for such a short book, her breasts were mentioned WAY too often, even by the only other female besides the MC. Too much telling, and so on. Very superficial and clicheed.
September 10, 2014
This story is so beautifully written that I read it in one sitting, instantly enthralled with Maria (Sirena) and in love with William. I’ve read the other mermaid novels by Ms Carlton and there were carefully placed hints there of where Maria had been in her lengthy past and the men that she had loved. It was gratifying to go back in time and meet them. Maria is an unusual and likeable mix of capable and innocent and readers will love her instantly. The descriptions of the ship and the behaviour of the sailors is well researched and realistic and you find yourself there, terrified and yet not wanting to leave. I was so gripped by the end of this novel, that I had to grab the next one straight away.
October 20, 2015
I never give bad reviews and this really isn't a bad review to the author. I just couldn't get into this book. It might be because I just don't get it or Mermaids aren't my thing. It is well written and the mistakes are few if any. So even though I didn't care for doesn't mean I won't recommend it to friends that like Mermaids.
September 4, 2014
Once again, awesome book. Love the series, and especially the feel of the characters, they're visceral, organic and almost leap off the page (sometimes that wouldn't entirely be a bad thing XD). The story is as gripping as a Mermaid on shore leave , and leaves you wanting more with every page.
September 4, 2014
I could taste the sea air and feel the breeze coming off the water. I rarely read a book start to finish in one sitting, but I was captivated by this story! I need to get the other prequels now. Ms. Carlton does not disappoint!
September 11, 2016
Finally A Mermaid Tale for Adults!
A well written mermaid "tale". I can't wait to get started on the next book! I've searched forever for a sea story with intrigue, action and mermaids and here someone has written it all with a Scottish gentleman to boot. Five stars for sure!
A well written mermaid "tale". I can't wait to get started on the next book! I've searched forever for a sea story with intrigue, action and mermaids and here someone has written it all with a Scottish gentleman to boot. Five stars for sure!
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