There's Something Fishy About My Boyfriend

Jersey Shore Merman #1

by Gloria Duke

GYM. TAN. MERMAN. Welcome to the Jersey Shore, where the men are hot, the sun is sizzling, and the boardwalk’s seen it all…until now.
After years of living on the Shore, Hannah Bell is sure two things are
The family B&B is her future.Men like Xander—mysterious, charming, and un-freaking-believably gorgeous—do not just wash up like some kind of sexy flotsam.But when Xander appears mostly-naked and half-conscious in the surf, Hannah does what any sane, kind-hearted woman would hauls him into her bed. Her bed and breakfast, that is. It’s only polite. But her one act of seaside charity goes sideways fast when her new perennially topless “guest” starts fixing leaky faucets with a wink, charming her with fishy dad jokes, and casually revealing that—oh yeah—he’s a freakin' merman.
Not only that, but he’s the merman who rescued her a decade ago and then ghosted her like an enchanted Tinder date gone wrong. Rude.
As Hannah reels from revelations and Xander tries to stay one step ahead of the secrets lurking beneath the tide, they’ll need to figure out if their surfside chemistry is just a summer fling... or the start of something truly fin-tastic.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Fiction, Contemporary, Mermaids, Monster Romance

352 pages, Paperback

Expected publication May 12, 2026

About the author

Gloria Duke is a pen name. In my other life, I'm Gloria Ketterer, a WGA Award-winning radio writer, TV sitcom writer, and brand advertising creative director. I live in Philadelphia, PA with my dog, Rocky, and my cat, Pippa. I hate humidity but love a comfy pair of pajamas, a big glass of red wine--and, of course, a good rom-com.

Reviews

[BookishKB · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌊🐚 There’s Something Fishy About My Boyfriend by Gloria Duke 🐚🌊

I aspire to be this chill about discovering a real merman. Truly the dream for any monster romance girlie.

This was such a fun, easy read and I had a great time with it. It’s light, a little ridiculous in the best way, and you really just have to go with it. I was honestly surprised by some of the lower ratings because this was perfect for me. It delivered exactly what I wanted and kept me entertained the whole time.

🧜‍♂️ What to Expect
• Merman MMC
• Beachside B&B
• Second chance
• Secret identity
• Summer romance
_ _ _

⭐ Final Rating: 4.5 Stars
📅 Pub Date: May 12, 2026
📝 Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Lina]

Pre-Read Thoughts: "GYM. TAN. MERMAN." is the perfect tagline.

[Hannah Greendale (Hello, Bookworm)]

Holy biceps and bubbles! This sounds like a lovey-dovey, pink and cuddly, bubblegum pop of a merman romance novel. Kind of like a playful version of The Pisces by Melissa Broder. Sounds fun! 🧜‍♂️🫧👀

[Alyx Gough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC!

There’s Something Fishy About My Boyfriend by Gloria Duke is quite possibly one of the cutest things I’ve ever read and I am STILL smiling about it 🥹🐚

First of all—this is basically a reverse Little Mermaid situation and I ate it UP. Mysterious, charming, slightly chaotic merman washing up on shore?? Yes. Absolutely yes. No notes.

But what really made this story special for me was the heart.

The little seaside community?? I’m obsessed. The neighbors felt like one big, chaotic, loving found family, and I adored how supportive they were of Hannah. It added so much warmth to the story, and every time they showed up for her (and later for Xander too 🥹), it just made everything feel even more magical.

And the way they all came together to help save Xander??? I loved that so much. It wasn’t just a romance—it felt like a whole community rallying behind something good and hopeful, and it made the story feel so full.

Hannah and Xander were SO stinking cute. Their dynamic, the humor, the history between them, the soft moments—it all just worked. This was one of those romances that makes your chest feel warm while you’re reading it. Just pure, sweet, feel-good love.

And Xander??? A flirty, slightly clueless, fish-out-of-water (literally) merman who makes bad dad jokes??? I mean… come on. I was gone immediately.

This book felt like sunshine, salt air, and a warm hug all wrapped into one story 🐠💛

If you’re looking for something cozy, magical, and genuinely heartfelt, please pick this up. It’s fun, it’s sweet, and it will absolutely leave you smiling.

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Why did the merman cross the portal,”
“To get to the other side?”
“To get to you,” 🥺😭🖤

i loved this SO. MUCH!!!
imagine twilight set in the jersey shore, but edward is a merman and bella is a running her parents B&B. this may be an unhinged comparison, but that’s where my mind went, i loved every minute of it.
we follow hannah who grew up as a passionate swimmer, who nearly drowns and is rescued by a hunky merman. 10 years later, she finds a beautiful naked guy passed out on the beach. she rescues him, only to find out it was the same merman who first rescued her.
the story follows her navigating the challenges of taking over her parents B&B and hiring her long lost hunky merman to be her handyman, while falling in love along the way.
it was so charming, cozy, and genuinely hilarious with all the quirks and charm of the jersey shore mixed in with a sweet and sizzling romance, with challenges faced and overcame.
there was so much healing, love, and friendship wrapped up in this warm blanket of a book. every single character was lovable in their own way, and the writing swept me away! it was witty, easy to read, and so funny i was genuinely cackling throughout the whole book.
i enjoyed it SO much! it was honestly the cutest thing i have read in a long time! i’m so excited that it’s a series, i can’t wait to read the rest. i HIGHLY recommend this beautiful little summer romance! i’m so excited to own a copy of my own when it releases may 12th! just in time for mer-may 🧜‍♂️

i received an eARC from netgalley & sourcebooks and am voluntarily leaving a review ♡

[Makayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC

Listen.

If a suspiciously hot man with seaweed vibes, zero understanding of human customs, and the jawline of a literal ocean god washed up at my door… I too would fold immediately.

This book is UNHINGED in the best possible way.

We have:
🧜‍♂️ A merman boyfriend who is trying. His best.
🏖️ Small town chaos on the Jersey Shore.
🐟 Fish puns. So many fish puns.
💋 Tension that had me giggling and kicking my feet.

Hannah is just trying to prove she can run her family’s B&B like a normal, responsible adult. Instead? She’s hiding a whole aquatic man in her life and pretending that’s standard boyfriend behavior. The spiraling. The denial. The “this is fine” energy. I felt that in my soul.

And Xander??? Sir. The earnestness. The confusion. The accidental chaos. The way he’s simultaneously otherworldly and completely clueless? Top-tier rom-com material.

Is it realistic? Absolutely not.
Did I care? ALSO absolutely not.

The vibes were immaculate. The humor was campy and self-aware. The romance was sweet with just enough ridiculousness to keep me grinning the whole time.

Why 4 stars and not 5? I wanted a little more emotional depth in a few spots, and some moments wrapped up a bit quickly. But honestly? I had a blast.

If you like:
🐠 Unhinged rom-com energy
🐠 Paranormal boyfriends who are trying their aquatic best
🐠 Small-town shenanigans
🐠 Books that fully commit to the bit

Then yes. Dive in.

[Brooke ✌︎㋡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s Something Fishy About My Boyfriend by Gloria Duke

Ok. Raise your hand if you love fun, quirky and cute fantasy rom-coms🙋🏼‍♀️. Let me tell ya…this book had ALL the “fishy” jokes you could ever hope for and roll your eyes at 😂.

A cute Little Mermaid retelling with tons of small town vibes! The community was also a really fun aspect to this book! But the merman, Xander, really had me giggling. 😂 From his mixed interpretations of the language to his interactions with Hannah, I just had such a fun time with this.

Hannah is also trying to make sure that Xander stays safe because he is actually being hunted so the shenanigans there and the suspense that part creates is fun. Ever wanted to know what it’s like to get it on with a merman? 🤣🧜‍♂️ Well, this has the “fin-on-skin” action that’ll keep you intrigued.

A definite page turner and I do recommend this book. Just a sweet and quirky classic folklore that’s expressed through the lens of a cozy, small-town community.

Thank you NetGalley for the awesome opportunity of reading this book in exchange for my honest review!

Tropes ✨

🧜‍♂️ Little Mermaid Retelling
🐟 Fin-on-skin action (🤣)
💙 He Falls First
🥈Second Chance
🥸Hidden Identity
💘Cinnamon Roll Hero
🏘️Small town close community vibes

[David Scott · Rating 1 out of 5]

Never judge a book by its cover, because this looked funny and sexy but it was nothing of the sort.

Cringe humour, cliché romance and jarring tonal shifts, going from a teenage girl’s diary (‘FYI, we were both full-on naked’) to rushed, explicit sex scenes (involving his tail fin in a jacuzzi??)

The major plot devices are never really fully developed and then completely abandoned in the last 10 pages.

I don’t know who the target audience is for this but it’s not me lmao

[Gloria]

that was so bad i could not finish it. like it was technically a book in that there were words on a page but wow it read like a middle school wattpad book

[Adriana Szaboova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute plot! The supporting characters are witty and fun and they really embodied the Jersey vibe 🙃

[yueting ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I sit right at the center of the Aquamarine, Little Mermaid, and hot puppy boy fan venn diagram. And if you do, too, you need to read this one ASAP. This is Aquamarine if Aqua was a beautiful, devoted man who is incredibly good with his hands—in all the ways—and was in love with Claire. And, if Hailey was two gay guys who owned a bakery.

I was absolutely giddy reading the first few chapters of this book—it promised everything my Aquamarine-loving-heart wanted: Hannah discovering Xander passed out on the beach (naked!), her owning the cutest and most darling bed and breakfast on the Jersey Shore, him needing to keep his tail a secret, which had so much potential for hilarity and hijinks. And this book delivered on all of it. But it also gave me even more: a wonderful found family in the local business community surrounding Hannah and the bed and breakfast (her best friend aka Drew and his baker husband Garth were a dream), a charming romance that felt absolutely fated, and a plot that felt just exciting and dangerous enough to keep me hooked but still maintain a cozy, lighthearted atmosphere until the end.

I'm absolutely in love with Xander. As soon as he showed up all perfect smiles, gorgeous green eyes, and eager personality, I was a goner. He really is the epitome of an eager golden retriever boyfriend, made all the more fun by the fact that he's hot and has a massive fish tail (also hot!). I loved how curious he was about Hannah's world, how respectful he was of her wants and needs, but also how he still had his own ideas of what their future together would mean. He got frustrated and confused and sometimes angry, but he was never anything less than thoughtful and supportive and encouraging. He was perfect all around—genuinely, no notes.

Hannah was also such a sweet and fierce character. I love the way she fought for Xander and how much she wanted to take care of him, especially considering his big secret and the dangers that the human world could pose to him. I also adored the way she fought for her friends and for her home. This book was really about her re-discovering her sense of adventure—and how Xander is the one to remind her of those old dreams and to open up her world. The romance between the two of them was so lovely. It didn't quite have the tension and yearning that I usually love, but there's no question how devoted they were to each other, and by the end—which was more heart-pounding and tense than I expected—I was rooting for them hard.

The found family and side characters here were also brilliant. There's a large cast of other business owners on the same block as the bed and breakfast, and they were all so distinct and so funny. I loved the way Gloria Duke inserted lots of quintessential Jersey Shore-isms—and a big highlight of the book was the mailman: Joey D, who loves to talk about himself in third person. The personality and voice in the setting and the characters really brought this book to life for me.

The only thing I'm not quite as certain about is the ending—it felt a bit rushed, and I wish there had just been a bit longer of a resolution. On the last page, I could think of at least three more scenes that I would have loved to have read. But that also probably just shows how attached I had become to Hannah, Xander, and the whole cast of characters in this book. There's Something Fishy About My Boyfriend is an absolute delight of a summer read, so fun and so full of life, laughter, and heart.

﹙ four stars ﹚

— thank you sourcebooks casablanca for the gifted early copy!

[PP's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can you imagine trying to save your family bed and breakfast and finding a merman to fall in love at the same time? I think it sounds fantastic and crazy. And There’s Something Fishy About My Boyfriend by Gloria Duke is exactly that.

Hannah is torn between her responsibility towards the family business and her desire to be something better and bigger. She made her choice when she almost drowned in the sea ten years ago. She thinks she had an illusion of a merman saving her. Nope She is proved wrong when she rescues a gorgeous man with wild red hair in the beach..who turened out to be her savior, Zander the mernan. Zander is being hunted by some evil men and Hannah is trying to keep her family business afloat along with her friends who are also small business owners in Jersey shore.


The story is told from Hannah's pov. And she is very real. She has dreams and desires. But she also loves her family. She didn't want to run the business but now that her parents are thinking about retiring and selling, she doesn't want to let it go and she wants to prove that she has become worthy after so many years of hard work. Zander was a shock and a surprise. And she wanted to shelter him out of gratitude. But he is also surprisingly charming and witty and handy. This world is very different and I love how openly curious and accepting Zander is. Hannah knew it is a recipe for disaster but she didn't know how to resist a sexy and caring and protective man who is making her life so colorful. I loved the secondary characters and they added so much to the entertaining parts of the story. This story is mostly funny and sweet and heartwarming. With a little part of heartache when Zander has to decide to save his own world but Hannah made an excellent choice too.

That one star was deducted because I felt the ending to be very rushed and almost incomplete. The characters suddenly made moves those were completely out of their nature.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

[Jace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC (advanced reader's copy) from NetGalley, thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks!

There's Something Fishy About My Boyfriend is a monster romance set at the Jersey Shore. Hannah is trying to take over her parents Bed and Breakfast, which is turning out to be more of a challenge then she expected. When she takes her dog for a walk in the Jersey Shore she doesn't expect to find Xander naked and unconscious in the sand. She takes him back to the bed and breakfast to recover and quickly offers to let him stay in exchange for help fixing the place up.

Things escalate pretty quickly from there, with Hannah soon finding out that Xander is a merman and the flirting fueling the tension between them.


Hannah is a sweetheart, a bit of a worry wart, and from the moment we meet her, I adored her. The author did a great job of showing and not telling about her personality. Hannah's kindness towards Xander was very sweet. I loved how supportive her friends were and how she had a big friend group. Xander is silly and lighthearted, which I thought was great for her. Together they made each other laugh a lot, which I really loved. They felt like a real couple I would know and the chemistry was very strong. I was worried there would be too many sex scenes for my liking, but fortunately there wasn't. The sex scenes were very hot, though.

I loved the more complicated parts of the novel too, like Hannah having to decide if she really wanted to stay and run her family's Bed and Breakfast. Her conflict between duty and her heart was very well executed, and I was never sure how she really felt about the Bed and Breakfast until the very end.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I rate it 5/5 stars and would recommend it to anyone that loves monster romance. It's sweet, it's fun, it's funny, and it's hot. This book has something for nearly everyone.

[Madison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uhm, wow? This book started off so promising and funny and then somewhere after the 100 page count took a huge turn for the worse.

Insta love, cringe sex scenes, miscommunication and keeping secrets, and so many unresolved plot points???

I requested to arc read this book expecting a funny, spicy merman romance with promises of spice and instead got an extremely inconsistent FMC and a just as inconsistent MMC- it felt like there had to of been multiple hand in writing this book. At times Xander was a clueless himbo flirt and then others he was a tor D-bag?!? Also, the use of the term “invalid” was sort of shocking when Xander had to be carried by her friends and referred to himself as one in a negative way… just… wow.

And the plot was just so all over the place. One moment Hannah hates the BNB and other moments it’s her life goal to restore it. She wants to fight the city and protect the BNB but then also completely stops caring and dives into Mermaid land with no planning?! tells her parents a forever goodbye over the phone while they’re in AZ leaving the home to who?!? Not the lovely guy who wanted to buy it cause he had so many great memories of it as a child.

OH and she literally walks away whenever she’s overwhelmed and just ends the conversation. He asks her not to tell anyone he’s a merman? Same
Chapter runs to tell ALL her friends. He tells her he needs to leave to protect his kingdom and offers to take her with him (which you’d think she would enjoy since she sometimes hates her BNB) and she literally LEAVES THE RESTAURANT and walks home leaving him there. I just can’t with this bull shit.

This book pissed me off so bad oh my god I had to speed read the last 100 pages because I just can’t do another DNF.

Very cringe. Don’t recommend it.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think that the premise of this is a lot of fun! I would rate this between 3-3.5 stars.

Hannah is saved from drowning when she’s 16 by a merboy, she chalks it up to being a hallucination and is so scary by her near-death experience that she loses sight of her dreams and instead works at the family business, a B&B on the Jersey Shore. 10 years later, she discovers a naked man, Xander, on the beach and invites him to do repair work at her B&B in exchange for a place to stay. When she stumbles upon Xander in the hot tub, she realizes he is gill-ty of hiding something!

The dad jokes and the gym tan laundry vibes of this book are incredible. I loved the writing style, it was funny and fast paced and I read this in an evening. That said, I felt that this was very insta-love and because it’s so fast paced, we didn’t really get the development of the characters that well and I didn’t really understand why they loved each other. I loved the secondary characters and it felt very found family, but every issue that the main characters had felt resolved very quickly or it wasn’t explored as much as it could have been.

This was a fun read though and I could see this being a good summer beach trip book. I think if you’re looking for something funny, easy reading, and light, this is the perfect book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this e-arc!

[Manda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feeling grumpy and out of sorts, I curled up with a heating pad, my favorite blanket, and There’s Something Fishy About My Boyfriend by Gloria Duke.

In minutes this book infused my mood with light and laughter. Coincidence? As Xander says, “No, that’s magic”.

✨ Magic indeed! ✨

What I loved:

🌊 Instant chemistry, but a slow burn

🧜🏼‍♂️ Danger on both business and personal fronts: as treasure hunters stalk Xander, & a real estate developer threatens the small businesses owned by Hannah and her friends.

🐚 Hannah’s close friends accept Xander and show up for them both.

🌊 Vicariously experiencing the iconic Jersey Shore

🧜🏼‍♂️ Dad jokes become their thing


🤔 What I’m Curious About:

* Why doesn’t Hannah remember Jack Lee and his family staying at the B&B for two weeks during the summers of her childhood when Jack recalls it all so clearly? Will he take over The Sunny Side?

* Who will the next book in the series be about? Jack?

There’s Something Fishy About My Boyfriend is a perfect beach or vacation read, so get it on your summer TBR!

Available in all formats May 12, 2026.

Thank you, Sourcebooks Casablanca for the early copy. All opinions are my own.

[Deyanira · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved the premise of this book. It gave me adult romance version of Aquamarine vibes, which immediately pulled me in. The beginning was strong, and I especially enjoyed the cast of secondary characters and our FMC. The MMC was okay, but I didn’t feel as connected to him as I wanted to. The humor early on definitely worked for me though, it had me genuinely laughing and excited to keep reading. About halfway through, I felt my attention starting to drift a bit. There seemed to be multiple plotlines competing for focus, and unfortunately the romance felt like it took a backseat. Since that was what I was most invested in, I found myself wishing for more depth (haha, I fear the dad jokes got to me) between the main couple. Their relationship leaned a little toward insta-love, and I just wanted more build-up to really believe in it. The ending wrapped things up pretty quickly, and while everything was resolved, it felt a bit rushed and not as satisfying as I’d hoped.

Overall, this was still a fun, quick read! I just felt like the premise and strong start had so much potential, and I was hoping it would fully deliver on that.

[Fatima · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a 3.5 for me.

✧✧Thank you to NetGalley and Gloria Duke for the ARC.✧✧

When Jersey Shore meets mermen. That is truly the best way to set the scene for this one. Insta love, fated mates, predestiny, found family, and an undersea realm with a portal all packed into one breezy read.

I did not expect to enjoy the dad jokes and puns as much as I did, but the first one caught me completely off guard and I was sold. The Little Mermaid vibes hit early, especially when Xander turns up washed ashore in his birthday suit, and that energy carries through the beginning. Hannah recruits Xander our mystery man to be her handyman around the b&b as he is good with his hands and water. Though he needs to reenergize for he is keeping a rather fishy secret, which she soon finds out.

If you enjoy quick pacing, nonstop plot movement, and an absolutely shameless amount of ocean puns, this one is worth the dive. Fun, breezy, and easy to get through even with the few things that did not fully land for me personally.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Sourcebooks & C2E2 for the opportunity to read this ARC. I’m giving this a 3.5/4 star rating. I found the plot line memorable with a great ensemble of iconic characters. I could foresee a more established or building across a larger series, being fun and successfully done with this author. I rated this lower for a few reasons – I felt the author made a few stylistic choices that I found could have been done without or differently. One such example is the authors usage of 21st-century, slang, and terminology. I felt that even as a contemporary fantasy romance book, this could have gone without and still read successfully as such or even as placing the characters within an iconic 90s style that I interpreted by first picking up the book. I also felt, the plot slowed significantly towards the middle section of the book and that it was easy to protect the ending. The ending, however, does leave an opening for future works, as we don’t learn the overall fate of the town or the aftermath of our FMC’s decision.

[Kelbee Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one just didn’t quite work for me. I’d land somewhere between 1–2 stars.

The premise immediately pulled me in. Jersey Shore setting, mermaid romance, cozy hotel vibes? It sounded like it would be such a fun read. Unfortunately, it never fully delivered on that promise for me.

My biggest issue was the romance. It leaned heavily into insta-love/insta-lust, and I never felt a genuine connection between the characters. I was told they loved each other, but I didn’t really see that love develop on the page, which made it hard to stay invested in their relationship.

That said, the concept itself is fun and has a lot of potential, especially for readers who enjoy light, quirky paranormal romances with a beachy setting.

Overall, while this one wasn’t for me, I can see it appealing to readers who enjoy quick, whimsical romances and don’t mind a more instant connection between characters.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received the ARC from Sourcebooks at C2E2.

A delightful beach read romance that doesn’t overstay its welcome. If you go in expecting something deep, you will be disappointed. It has a quirky group of side characters and beachside town with residents that care about keeping developers out.

I really appreciated some of the things done to keep the plot moving. The FMC doesn’t dwell on the “reveal” of her boyfriend’s secret for too long; she takes a few pages to accept it and then moves on. Loved that. I am also normally a fan of well-thought-out magic systems, but a book like this does not and should not need that. The answer to magic elements here? “It was the Sea Wizard”. Perfect. Like the FMC, I am willing to accept that and move on.

Also, if you’ve read a lot of MerMay fanfic like I have, the plot will generally feel very familiar. This is not a unique book by any means, but you should still be able to have fun reading it.

[Taylor Gates · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun, fast-paced rom-com, set in the Jersey Shore at a long-standing family owned B&B. The premise of this story was very interesting - a young woman, struggling to identify who she really is, crossed path unexpectedly with a merman who will change her life forever. The Jersey Shore setting was fun, and there was noooooo lack of fish puns.

There were a couple of things I didn’t love about the book. First, Hannah and Xander’s relationship felt a little insta-lovey. Xander’s golden retrieverness overshadowed this a little bit, but it would’ve been cool to see a little more depth in their relationship. Also, the ending felt a little rushed and I would’ve liked to have seen a little more into Hannah and Xander’s lives together now.

🧜‍♂️ friends to lovers
💛 (semi) forbidden love
🧜‍♂️ golden retriever merman MMC
💛 Jersey Shore vibes
🧜‍♂️ he waited 10 years for her
💛 fish puns!!!

Thank you Net Galley and Casablanca books for this Advanced Readers Copy!!

[Lauren Levy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley

I actually liked this book much more than I expected to. Something about this book just felt really nostalgic, like I was reading an adult version of the cheesy paranormal romance novels I loved as a kid. It was light and frothy, and what it lacked in substance it made up for in fun.

This was definitely a lighter read with pretty low stakes, and all issues were overcome with relative ease. My main issue with the book was that the end wrapped up so quickly, you didn't really feel done. I also had a hard time believing she would just casually make the choice she did at the end, given how close she seemed to her community and family. However, you can kind of push all of that aside because this book is exactly what you expect it to be, a lighthearted fun romance about a merman and a girl, and doesn't pretend to be anything else. If you liked Aquamarine as a kid, this is the book for you :)

[Donna Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

E-ARC generously provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review! Thank you!

After Hannah nearly drowns as a teen but is saved by a merman (which she believes was a hallucination), she fears the water and decides to commit to working at her family's B&B. When she finds a naked man on the beach, nearly ten years later, and offers her help to him, she notices he is a little different compared to others. I really. liked the humor played between all of the characters, especially with the amount of water puns shared. The other characters were ok but Drew & Garth were definitely my favorites because of the concern they shared for Hannah. The secret of Xander felt like it could have been played out more to help build the humor and relationship between them. Overall, this romance book was ok, with great humor and caring characters, but I wished for a little more depth for the relationship.

[Heather B]

I've been a big fan of Gloria Duke since her debut and I'm pleased to say she'll continue being a must read author me. I loved this book. It was a fun spin on the Little Mermaid but with enough unique elements that I still felt like I was getting something new out of the story. The characters were so much fun and I enjoyed seeing everyone's interactions. It was awesome to see everyone band together and show support for a shared goal. I live in a smaller town and it reminded me of home. I also really appreciated watching Hannah's growth. Seeing her come out on the other side of her fears as a stronger and happier person was well worth the journey. The book was funny and cute. It was a bit heavier at some points than I expected, but overall a lighter read. It's the perfect book if you're looking for a new twist on an old favorite or an adorable romance with a bit of the mythological.

Thank you NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast, summer read, and I'm rounding up because I like the premise so much. Basically a gender-flipped Little Mermaid meets Splash, great fun if hard to execute. For our mains Xander is fun though I wish he didn't adapt to land soooo quickly. Hannah is fairly grounded, a good pick for the "straight man" character. Sadly I did keep confusing several of the "quirky" side characters with each other.

The story is very light and fluffy, perfect summer vacation read. Honestly, the pacing was a little too fast? Like almost any threat is resolved within two chapters, any decision undone by the next chapter. It's the kind of issues you'd expect from a first book

Bottom line, I wish it was more camp and over the top. Zaniest it got was lame dad jokes. That being said, if the sequel features the merman sea warlock on the Gulf Coast of FL, count me in.

[Tori Walser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hannah is trying to keep her family's B&B running amidst repairs and cashflow issues when she finds Xander naked and unconscious on the beach. After taking him back home and offering him a job as a repairman in exchange for room and board, it's clear that not only have they met before, but Xander is much more than he seems. Will their commitments to duty and family (and the fact that they are two different species) keep them apart or will they be able to overcome it all and make their budding relationship work?
Holy merman! If you love all things nautical, corny dad jokes, hot mermen, great banter, or the Jersey Shore, this book is for you!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️/5
Disclaimer: I received an ebook ARC via NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review.

[Jenna La Bollita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read this ARC!

I really wanted to like this one, and I had high hopes. I figured it would be cute/cozy, but at times it wound up being more cringey than anything. It felt...fluffy, the dialogue was stilted, and the pacing felt a little off - some parts that would have been more interesting were glossed over, and other parts that weren't that important went on for ages. It also felt showy/too much that this was a story set in New Jersey - as someone born and raised in Ocean County NJ, I can promise you that the NJ in this book is kitschy and stereotypical.

All of this to say, I did care enough to read until the end. It was cute and an interesting story - a good, quick, easy beach read.

[Alayna Wiezorek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebook for the free eARC
Hannah runs her family’s B&B on the Jersey Shore, but her plans to own the establishment may be in danger because her parents want to sell it in order to afford to retire. Hannah has thought she would run the B&B ever since she was a teen. After she almost drowned, Hannah doesn’t really reach for adventure and the unknown. One day, Hannah is walking along the beach when she runs into the unconscious Xander. He’s absolutely gorgeous and so different from other guys that Hannah knows. Xander acts as the B&B’s handyman in exchange for living there for free. But the longer Hannah spends time with Xander, the odder he seems. Could he have a concussion, or is there something more going on?

There’s Something Fishy About My Boyfriend was a silly fun time. My favorite movie growing up was The Little Mermaid and I loved all of the parallels between the movie and this book. I had some issues with the writing. It felt a bit juvenile at times. For example, Hannah would keep referring to her best friend as her bestie instead of his name. And I don’t mean that’s her nickname for him, I mean that in her head that’s what she was calling him. Because the book is fast paced, the relationship did feel a bit insta-lovey to me. I wish there was a bit more build up before the two started dating, but I can see why insta love was used in this case.

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the eARC; all opinions are my own!

The cover immediately drew me in, and I think this is a really cute romance. I do wish the story had either taken itself more seriously or much less seriously. Currently, it feels like it walks the line between believing itself and not, meaning no one had trouble believing what was going on (yes, I know they all saw him as a merman before they'd believe) and rooting for the two of them to be together. I love that all of Hannah's friends supported her, but also? NO ONE THOUGHT to question her desire to follow him back to his underwater land? And her parents were just okay with it? I mean, she didn't give them much choice...
That being said, I am excited for the next installment!