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, Contemporary, Paranormal Romance, Mermaids, Fiction

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Published 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

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s Something Fishy About My Boyfriend is a bubbly romance following Hannah, a young woman who isn’t sure she wants to spend the rest of her life working at her family’s B&B, and Xander, the mysterious man who washes ashore and takes on a job as the B&B’s handyman in order to hide from the fishermen after him. This was such a fun and sweet read! The plot and romance were perfectly lighthearted and charming, with just the right amount of quirky fun woven throughout the story. I loved how Hannah’s found family all came together and rallied behind Xander to keep him safe, it was so heartwarming to watch everyone work together to save their businesses and keep their little community together. The way the romance and plot intertwined kept the story lively from beginning to end. Altogether, this was such a charming and feel-good read full of heart, whimsy, and the perfect touch of magic.

~Many thanks to Sourcebooks for an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Lina]

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

[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.

[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

[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! 🧜‍♂️🫧👀

[Lyndsey Nicoll · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay. Wow. Where do I even start?

Maybe with the endless fish puns. I genuinely lost count of how many times I cringed at the forced humour. Every time a pun appeared, the author made sure to tell us how hard the FMC and MMC were laughing, which somehow made it even more painful.

Then there's the fact that for about 90% of the book, there barely seems to be a plot. Any potentially interesting storyline is introduced and then quickly abandoned before it can develop into anything meaningful. The final confrontation with the hunters is a perfect example - not only is it underwhelming, but the epilogue completely undermines the entire thing. What do you mean there was another portal all along? Hannah's dramatic sacrifice to stay with Xander loses all emotional impact when he casually remembers there's another way for her to see her family and friends again. After spending the previous chapter acting like she'd given them up forever, it just feels ridiculous.

The pacing is also incredibly unclear throughout. It's hard to tell how much time is passing, which makes the relationship development feel rushed. That's already an issue when the book leans heavily on a 'love at first sight' romance, but the strange pacing makes it even harder to buy into. Hannah's mood swings don't help either. She lashes out at people over the smallest things, yet everyone around her responds with endless patience and forgiveness. At no point does she seem to take any responsibility or accountability for her behaviour.

And Xander? He's not really a merman, is he? Not when he spends 99% of the book walking around on two legs and only occasionally hops into a hot tub to recharge his fish powers. Add to that a personality with all the depth of a post-it note, and he's completely forgettable.

Overall, the writing feels quite inexperienced. The dialogue is overly simplistic, the characters rarely come across as emotionally authentic, and the pacing is all over the place. The characters aren't compelling, the plot is barely there - but, honestly, it's the relentless puns that kill the story for me.

[Anana Nuñ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The moment a man is found naked on the beach authorities should of been called but you know this is a book lol. It has some dad humor still some funny moments, romance, and tid bit of danger.

The characters are playful and sweet. He’s completely out of place in the human world while still somehow being smoother than everyone around him especially Joey 😅. Some of his lines were corny but cute.

The characters also felt frustratingly human. Hannah made choices that honestly irritated me because she could be selfish and emotionally messy, especially when his entire world was potentially in danger.

In all its a pretty good read.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a hoot! This was the fun chill romance I needed in my life 🧜‍♂️ 🐚 This book had me smiling the whole time I was reading it and I could literally not put it down! Some might even say I was “hooked” 😉

Hannah and Xander’s relationship was sooo cute! I loved how he knew Hannah was it for him since the first time they met 🥺 also not to spoil anything, but the whole casino part of the book has to be one of my favorite things I’ve read in awhile and I can’t recommend this enough for that alone!

I really hope that there will be a second book in this series! I really really enjoyed this!

I absolutely recommend this if you love :

🐚 Second chance romance
🦀 He falls first
🐬 Small town coastal romance
🧜‍♂️ Mermaids (obvi)

Thank you to NetGalley, Gloria Duke, and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Sarah Wahl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't think I would ever pick up a book that explores what you would do if a merman saved you from drowning & ten years later, washed up on the beach still super tan and hot & needing help lol. It was a quick read with lots of fish puns, merman sex logistics, goofy antics, and Jershey Shore galore. A fun time, but it didn't wow me, so 3 stars :)

[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.

[Kayla · Rating 1 out of 5]

The cover was the best part of this book. I think I threw up when the tail got involved in the hot tub. (Sorry if that’s technically kink shaming.)

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wild ride of a book that offered equal amounts humor, romance, friendship and light heartedness with some deep moments.

It was a breath of fresh air and did cover a bit of heaviness but also was magical with a Merman who quickly adapted to his surroundings and obviously adored Hannah.

Hannah is determined to make her parents proud, show she can take over running her family's B&B but when Xander shows up in her life, she'll have to do some serious considering as to whether running the B&B is what she really wants.

There's a couple steamy scenes, including one in a hot tub but overall, it read as a romantic comedy with a Jersey Shore twist.

If there's ever a sequel, I will for sure read it!

Trigger warnings: near drowning, someone passes out briefly but is okay

[Liv Lukowicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. No notes. I will not be taking questions at this time

[Liz S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars. I’m over here crying over a merman and planning my next trip to the shore. Plenty of laugh out loud moments too

[Faith | bookswith_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 ♡

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a lot of problems with this book. I think Xander isn't developed enough as a character. I think because of that, the romance between Hannah and Xander suffers extremely. I think both the A, B, and C plots are rushed, and I think a lot of what could be emotional weight of the story is underscored by dad jokes that aren't clever or funny. All of these things, I could forgive. But do you know what I can't forgive?
The whitewashed, overly sanitized, and highly gentrified portrayal of Atlantic City.
This book takes place in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It practically beats you over the head with that. A huge plot point is that the bed and breakfast that Hannah is in charge of is on Atlantic Avenue. What a coincidence! I happen to be local to the area. I drive down Atlantic Avenue almost every single day of my life! And I'm sorry, Atlantic City is not some small, cozy little beach town where bed and breakfast, indie bookstores, and fucking cronut shops thrive, and everything is saved by the power of community.
And look, I get it. It's a book about a fucking hot merman prince. I can't expect it to get into the homelessness crisis, the drug epidemics, the corrupt local government and lack of social services, and the veritable food desert that is Atlantic City. But there are so many small towns up and down the Jersey shore that fit the description that Duke writes about - some of them RIGHT next to Atlantic City. If she had put it there, the book would be pretty much exactly the same - SHE COULD HAVE EVEN STILL MADE IT TAKE PLACE ON ATLANTIC AVENUE.
And hey, I get it. Atlantic City has more name recognition behind it, and more of a reputation than Ocean City (NJ), or Ventnor, or Margate, or Brigantine or Cape May. And I understand that so many books probably do this, and I am just ignorant to it because I don't live there. But to write a book that is so heavily focused on community, small businesses, and "average residents against big businesses," and sanitizing it is an actual slap in the face to the actual community that lives and works there. I'm sure the author meant no harm, and at the end of the day, it really is not doing any active harm. I'm sure that this book is not going to be the straw that breaks Atlantic City's back. But it's still offensive nonetheless, and it pissed me off! Trigger warning for Stockton University.

[Brooke Mason · Rating 2 out of 5]

There’s something fishy about this book needing to end on a cliffhanger- and the assumption I would read a sequel.

[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.

[Melissa Flanagin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was written like she was 16 and it was her own personal diary. Saying FYI in her internal monologue "FYI guys, he was so hot" and all the stupid unfunny fish pun jokes EVERY SINGLE INTERACTION THEY HAVE!!! The side plots that never mounted to anything. She kept looking to her great grandparents family portraits and was "getting these feelings" like it was going to mean something in the end, but nope nothing. The side characters were so over the top stereotypes of Jersey Shore natives (Joey D talking in 3rd person made me want to throw up). The ending was so fast and her goodbye with her parents was so awkward and unemotional. I hate this book. I hate everything about it. I’m going to AO3 and read fanfics f*** this.

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun read. Hannah and Xander’s connection felt so natural and comforting, like they were always meant to find their way back to each other. I really enjoyed seeing the world through Xander’s perspective and watching him try to make sense of everything around him. He was incredibly sweet and caring, and Hannah matched that energy perfectly. I especially loved that even after all that time, he never forgot about her, and she still felt safe with him despite believing he was a stranger. The way her friends rallied around both of them added such a strong sense of community to the story. My only complaint is that I wish the epilogue had given us a little more.

[Shelly | VixenReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was thinking this would be a 4 star read because I was enjoying the cute concept of this story with its puns & dad jokes (I’m a notorious lover of dad jokes) but then it just went overboard.
I also wasn’t the biggest fan of the FMC. I listened to the audio (singular female narrator) and while the narration was done well, I do think this would have benefited by having a male narrator.
This is part of a series (this didn’t feel like it ended on a cliff to me so not sure if it’s an interconnected standalone or if the main characters story will continue in the next book) and I’m fairly likely to read book 2 though I’m not sure I’ll rush to it.

[Samantha Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

This is just pure fun. Xander gives Brendan Fraser in George of the Jungle vibes which is sure to please. Some of the Jersey Shore moments feel a little dated and exaggerated but with the absurdity of the book I think it feels like a love letter to the people of the shore. I loved the friends that help Hannah and Xander and think they elevated the book. Not sold on the ending entirely but hoping the second book will tie certain things up for me.

[Angela C · Rating 2 out of 5]

*book club read* listen, I think I felt my soul leave my body when my book club announced this would be our next read. Everything about it just wasn’t calling to me. While I did think the authors writing wasn’t terrible, and I appreciated how she poked fun at the jersey shore, it gets two stars from me. The constant dad jokes were way too much for me, I felt like the ending was a bit rushed and anticlimactic, and while I know it’s a book about a merman, so it’s inherently far fetched, it was just a bit too far fetched for me.

[Maci D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was the cutest!! This had about 2 descriptive spicy sex scenes, but they are easy to skip if you don't enjoy spice. Overall if had a solid plot with a cute bed and breakfast at the Jersey Shore, a rag tag group of friends and a cheesy romance. Light, silly and cozy!

[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

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was weird and it was fun. Definitely a HIMBO MMC. Reverse Little Mermaid vibes? 🧜‍♂️ Anytime “merman” was used I said it in the voice of Ben Stiller in Zoolander.

[Kenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

hehe

That was so cute and fun. There was some repeating phrases and every once in a while the phrasing felt a little unnatural but for a flirty fun time this was perfect.

[Andrea ☾ (exclusively reads hollanov ffs & omegaverses rn)]

Officially pausing this one at 23%.
I don't know when I'll get back to it, cause it's the premise seems fun. It's just so slow and I'm not in the mood rn...

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish the plot would’ve been anything other than “I’m in love with a man I met a month ago and I’m going to follow him somewhere I can’t come back from and never see or speak to my friends or family again!”

Her happy ending is leaving her entire life behind? Cool.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted this to be a fun read and picked it up because of the local AC setting, but this wasn’t for me. That hot tub spicy scene gave me the ick big time.