Mermaid in Manhattan

by Jessica Gadziala

Let's get wet!Iris loves being a mermaid. So, when her Mom, Queen of the Ocean, declares that she’s to be wed to a human, she’s furious.

Finn wants to be the first human mayor of magical New York. He needs a magical wife as part of his PR strategy to win over his constituents, and he’s fine with a loveless marriage.

But after his reluctant fiancé Iris douses him with seawater at their first meeting, Finn finds himself wanting this romance to be more than a business arrangement.

Iris can’t stand Finn on principle, but no matter how far she pushes him, Finn just won’t break off their engagement. In fact, he keeps going out of his way to make her life easier. And soon, this mermaid is left wondering if life might be better in Manhattan than under the sea…



👰 💐Arranged marriage

🛏️ 🔥Only one bed

🧜 ✨Romantasy

🥵 🌶️Spice

Readers LOVE Mermaid in Manhattan!'I was hooked from start to finish and never wanted to come up for air' Emma Lucy, bestselling author of Live, Ranch, Love

'An enchanting romp with all the charm of a classic rom-com!' A. T. Qureshi, USA Today bestselling author of The Baby Dragon Cafe

'Witty, swoony and completely bingeable' Nadia El-Fassi, bestselling author of Best Hex Ever

'I loved Finn and Iris…It’s a version of New York I would happily live in' Athena Carstairs, author of There's Pumpkin About You

‘Completely addictive!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review

‘Had me kicking my feet and screaming’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Forced Proximity, Romantasy, Paranormal Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary

377 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 23, 2026

About the author

Jessica Gadziala is a USA Today bestselling author who lives in rural New Jersey with her parrots, dogs, and an ever-growing collection of houseplants. A lifelong dreamer, she’s been writing stories since childhood and published her first book in 2015. When not at her desk, she’s usually feeding backyard birds, rewatching crime dramas, period pieces, and 90s supernatural TV shows, or adding to her towering stacks of unread books.



You can find her on
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/Jessica-Gadz...
Newsletter: subscribepage.io/K4GPfj
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicagadz...
Her Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/31454...
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jessicagadz...


xx

Reviews

[Alya ( 20 comments restriction ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨️ ARC REVIEW ✨️
Mermaid in Manhattan by Jessica Gadziala
Publication date: 23rd April 2026

  Thoughts
Somebody please make this book into a movie adaptation!🥹 This was an absolute delight to read and I know it may seem a tad early to say this but thus book is easily one of my favourite romantasy books for 2026! I was hooked from the get-go, the plot, the characters, the universe itself everything was super cute! I loved how everything unfollowed and the little things in between ( trying so hard not to mention scenes) cause some of them just tugged at my heart!🫠not to mention the witty parts! It's been a while since I've rooted for both MCs equally lol -- I almost never do rereads but I will most likely be picking this book up again in the future and I can't wait to read more from this author!

What to expect
▪︎ Mermaid x human
▪︎ One bed
▪︎ Arranged marriage
▪︎ Talking pelican
▪︎ Mermaid who loves books

Plot Summary
Iris is perfectly happy living under the sea—until her mother announces an arranged marriage to a human. Finn, an ambitious New York politician, sees the match as a strategic move, not a love story. Their first meeting goes disastrously, yet Finn refuses to call things off, determined to prove there’s more to their engagement than politics. As Iris resists him at every turn, she’s forced to question her assumptions about both Finn and the human world—and whether a future on land might hold unexpected possibilities.

My Bookstagram

[SJARR ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Believe it or not, I was actively searching for a mermaid romance novel a while back. Unsurprisingly, it does not seem to be a very sought after sub-genre, so I didn't have much luck. But you can imagine my shock when I saw THIS was available to request.
I even ended my ARC break for this specifically.

This is sort of like a grown-up reimagining of "The Little Mermaid", but with an arranged marriage trope.
I am never hugely excited by the prospect of arranged marriages in books, because it's just not my thing in general. But, I do think it was done decently here and I was able to enjoy it.
It helped a lot that Finn was so kind and gentle with Iris, and his efforts to make her feel more comfortable being outside of her usual environment were heartwarming.

I can't truly complain about this, because I knew about it before going into the book. But there is somewhat of a political plot going on, which is something that just isn't for me.
It really isn't "bad", it just tends to be somewhat that looses my attention rather quickly.
However, paranormal politics... that I do find a bit more intriguing, so I wasn't totally bored.

One thing I really loved about this was the array of creatures in it.
Diversity...but make it paranormal. Mermaids, witches, vampires, dryads, fae, and so on.
This alone was such an exciting element for me, and I'm so glad it was there.

I don't feel like there is anything "bad" about it.
I'll say that I think there was a lot of potential for a more unique plot though. Given that there are few books on the market with mermaid love interests, I just really think there was a ton of room to do new stuff and get super creative with world-building, customs, personality... everything really.
In the end it just came out a little bit basic. Not bad, but normal. The addition of more unique mermaid-specific elements would have been great.

I believe this author has written other paranormal romances in the past, which I would actually like to check out.

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon Books UK and author Jessica Gadziala, for providing me with the eARC of "Mermaid in Manhattan", in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: April 23, 2026

[Jessica Gadziala]

NOW AVAILABLE!!!

[Bozena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, my favorite author released two books in two days!
I'm the happiest reader of the week!
🥳😍🎈🎉❤️

This incredibly cute and drama-filled rom-com is an Ariel retelling.
And I love this sweet and swoony romance.

A romantic story about a headstrong mermaid and a politician who dedicated his life to politics and didn't know what he was missing until Iris, the Mermaid, came into his life.

Yes, in magical New York, it's important for a politician and aspiring mayor to have connections with the magical population.
Every vote counts, and all means are allowed, right?
Then he saw Iris for the first time, and the world literally and figuratively changed colors.

This is a cute, funny, and romantic story is a real mood booster and a great way to awaken romantic feelings and of course, start the weekend.

The secondary characters are also very interesting.
I mean, her best friend is a pelican! 🤐

Okay, no more spoilers.
I had a fantastic time and a lot of fun with the characters and this ridiculously entertaining story.

[Adri · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s like Splash and Little Mermaid had a baby, with an arranged marriage trope.
I like the world this book was set in, modern world but fantasy elements - mermaids, Fae etc.
I really enjoyed Iris and her attempts to get Finn to dissolve the arrangements.
Iris and Finn were opposites who needed each other for balance. I enjoyed the resolution they had towards the ending.
I’m a Disney girly who wanted to be Ariel. Of course i’m going to recommend.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Avon Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Iris loves being a mermaid. So, when her Mom, Queen of the Ocean, declares that she’s to be wed to a human, she’s furious. Finn wants to be the first human mayor of magical New York. He needs a magical wife as part of his PR strategy to win over his constituents, and he’s fine with a loveless marriage. But after his reluctant fiancé Iris douses him with seawater at their first meeting, Finn finds himself wanting this romance to be more than a business arrangement. Iris can’t stand Finn on principle, but no matter how far she pushes him, Finn just won’t break off their engagement. In fact, he keeps going out of his way to make her life easier. And soon, this mermaid is left wondering if life might be better in Manhattan than under the sea…

Good god, I adore Iris. The way she interacts with others, that kernel of sass that never disappears and her ability to be confidently petty too… what a girl! Going from the sea to land is a major adjustment but I did enjoy watching her make the most of it, discovering all these new things - even if there was an element of guilt there too. She feels so relatable and I just wanted to give her a big hug multiple times through the book. Her friendship with Selene was top notch, two strong women forming this bond of joy, and sass and emotion. I couldn’t have asked for anything better for Iris. She deserves the world.
Finn felt like a robot for so much of this story - enough that I wasn’t sure how to feel about him. And how ironic that it is a paranormal creature that helps him discover his humanity again. The way he blindly follows directions and doesn’t stop to think about the impact on others had me frustrated for a lot of this book. Any time he thought for himself, I wanted to punch the air before seeing him once again fall back into his terrible habits. Then I just wanted to punch him. Blessedly he improved as the story progressed and I found myself liking him. But sorry Finn, Iris has my heart wholly.

I’m not sure what I was expecting with this story but I did not anticipate it being this fun! Stories involving the paranormal can be hit and miss for me but the fact this felt more focused on humour and the relationship between Finn and Iris, I was hooked (if you’ll pardon the pun) from the beginning. Everything flows brilliantly from one moment to another, the plot bolstered by this humorous undertone that had me grinning constantly. The banter between the characters elevated the story and never once detracted from the seriousness of a moment - in fact, lending it an element of grounding. I love that in this world, we get to know such a variety of characters. Vampires, witches, dryads, mermaids, gargoyles, and so much more, all added their own imprint to the story. We don’t see many urban fantasies written like this nowadays and this book has triggered a hunger in me for more! I want societies where no one bats an eyelid when a vampire and a tree spirit share a bus! The romance was delightfully angsty from the off, and rightly so! I loved that it wasn’t smooth sailing (again, apologies for the pun - Iris has rubbed off on me) and, in fact, was incredibly rocky from the off. The way it also wasn’t resolved quickly too was the icing on the cake. It’s great seeing characters act on their chemistry and still stand strong in their more negative emotions as opposed to banging it out and thinking all is well. The spice was great too, adding an extra layer to the chemistry forming! I feel it definitely added to the story instead of just being there for the sake of it. The ending was honestly just perfection. I’s be so happy if we got an interconnected series with some of the other characters because they were just so good, but I still love how everything was brought to a close here.

Overall, Mermaid in Manhattan is a stunner of a book you do not want to miss!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to Avon Books for an advanced copy of this book.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

“She was going to make this Finn Westrock guy regret the day he asked for a marriage contract with a mermaid. Operation: Horrify the Human was officially underway.”

I really enjoyed this book! An arranged marriage between a mayoral candidate and a mermaid - set in a contemporary world where supernatural creatures co-exist with humans. Think vampires on the subway, witches running your local bookshop and werewolf co-workers. I really enjoyed the world building in this - I love when contemporary and paranormal are mixed in this way. It makes for a really good read.

“Is there some sort of clause in this marriage contract for your emotional support pelican? Because there should be.”

Monty was my favourite character - he stole the show and deserved the limelight. He wins the award for best side character of the year so far!

“Even in stillness, she shimmered with the kind of magic that artists could spend lifetimes trying to capture. She was luminous in a way that made him feel suddenly dim, but, God, he would never want to dull her shine.”

She’s struggling with her longing for the sea and her new found life on land. Loved the friendships she made and the way she stood her ground when Henry tried to mould her. Iris was such a well written FMC and I loved the journey of self discovery she went through. Also the ways in which she tried to get him to cancel the engagement were hilarious!

“The second their lips met, it was over. For just that moment, she was his. He kissed her like he knew it. He kissed her like the tide—fierce and impossible to resist.”

Finn was a stuffy politician by day, trying to find himself again by night and had the dirtiest mouth in secret. His character was so frustrating because you could see how his intentions and his actions didn’t always match up - that he’s been moulded into the ‘perfect’ mayoral candidate and lost himself in the process. I really liked how she brought him out of his shell (lol) and challenged him. He was somehow a mix of boring, filthy and a total sweetheart.

Also - don’t be fooled by the cute cover, this is a spicy read! A whole lot of tension makes for a whole lot of spice and it was done well here.

Overall I’d really recommend this one! A spicy supernatural romance with a twist, a pelican side character that steals the show and a romance that you’ll be rooting for.

ARC copy provided by Avon & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Imogen Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mermaid in Manhattan is the most perfect holiday read! 🧜‍♀️🌊🐠

The world Jessica Gadziala created, where mythical creatures and humans live side by side in Manhattan, was so easy to get lost in

The arranged marriage between Iris and Finn made for such an entertaining setup. I loved watching Iris attempt to sabotage the relationship in the most chaotic ways, while Finn remained patient and quietly supportive

The humour was a real highlight for me. The banter, the quirky moments, and especially the side characters added so much charm to the story. And obviously Monty absolutely stole every scene he was in 😂

Overall, this was a witty, romantic, and addictive read with a great balance of sweetness, spice, and magical fun. A perfect pick if you’re looking for something easy to read and full of humour and cute moments 🥹🩷

Thank you so much Avon and Jessica Gadziala for a beautiful advanced copy of Mermaid in Manhattan 🫶🏼

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Mermaid in Manhattan
Author: Jessica Gadziala
Rating: 4.25 ⭐️

I seriously don't know what was in this book but I completely devoured it. I have always been a huge fan of TLM, so it should have been my first clue that I would really enjoy this book.

From some catchy comedic lines, to the celebrity seeking pelican, I was seriously hooked. I do hope that maybe we will get a second book exploring another witchy couple.....

Read this book if you enjoy:
🧜🏻‍♀️ Arranged marriage
🧜🏻‍♀️ Mermaids
🧜🏻‍♀️ Only 1 bed
🧜🏻‍♀️ Talking birds
🧜🏻‍♀️ The Little Mermaid
🧜🏻‍♀️ Supernatural romance

Release date: April 23, 2026

A huge thank you to Avon Books UK, NetGalley, and the author for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[🌙henny✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice spicy time, I needed a book I didn’t have to think too hard about because I’m slumping something awful, and this one was a great pallet cleanser for that. There’s no world building or long winded explanations about magic and mythical creatures, we just dive right into the plot of the mermaid being forced to live with a hot human guy.

Unless I somehow missed it, there’s not really an explanation for why the merm queen is so desperate for her daughter to do this. We get why the prospective mayor is clawking at the door for a merm wife, but the whole thing does feel a little tenuous at points. The spice is plentiful and it is of a quality that was good enough to make me sweaty, but honestly at times it felt like their relationship consisted of very little outside of the spice.

And I won’t lie, the idea of a guy being instantly enamoured with a very beautiful and alluring woman, along with every man who looks at her, doesn’t really do it for me. Like duh, of course you want her. Get in line, buddy. I would much rather he be interested in her for something that isn’t about how hot she is, alongside how hot she is. You know? Like yeah she’s gorgeous, but she’s also pretty funny, headstrong and stubborn etc.

Neither of the mcs have personalities that really shine in this one I’m ngl, but I did still really like this story. I got invested, that’s enough for me. The side characters were okay but the audiobook narrator didn’t really narrate them in a way that made me like them too much. A lot of the voices were just a bit annoying.

But I still liked this book!! I thought the plot was great. Not very complex, but for what it is, it’s great.

[Olivia · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some stories that sound amazing in theory but just don’t work that well in practice. Mermaid in Manhattan by Jessica Gadziala was one of those cases for me.

I love the idea of a paranormal romance set in a fantastical Manhattan. Iris, a mermaid princess, is arranged to marry mayoral candidate Finn for political gain on both sides. Through forced proximity and cultural exchange, the two grow closer than their arrangement initially intended. I was also intrigued by the dynamic of a free-spirited heroine paired with a rather starchy hero. Finn’s main conflict revolves around maintaining the image of the perfect, charming politician, while privately he is far from flawless and actually quite the nerd.

Unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite work for me. The writing style — along with choices like including a talking celebrity pelican — felt a bit too childish for my taste. At the same time, the story suddenly shifts into explicit sexual scenes, which made the overall tone feel somewhat inconsistent.
I also struggled with the romance itself. There is very little mutual sexual tension between Iris and Finn, and the main characters spend surprisingly little time together. They occasionally hook up, then suddenly spiral into emotional crises about their growing feelings — which felt unearned. Even though Finn’s lack of free time is acknowledged, the story never really gives their relationship enough space to develop. We jump rather abruptly from “we should spend more time together” to “let’s get married for real.”

The novel spends a lot of time following Iris around Manhattan and Finn through his media training, but not nearly enough on building a compelling dynamic between them.

In the end, this book simply wasn’t for me. I loved the idea of a modern Little Mermaid–inspired romance, but unfortunately the execution didn’t live up to the promise.

[Valerie Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the premise of this book and really connected with Iris—she’s strong-willed and full of personality, exactly what you’d expect from a mermaid. Unfortunately, Finn is completely underwhelming—dry, lacking backbone, and the romance between them feels forced and superficial. He does nothing to help Iris adjust to the city; he’s essentially flavorless.
All the side characters, however, steal the show—the pelican, the cat, her wedding planner, her new bookstore-owner friend, and even the campaign manager have more personality than Finn. This book could have skipped the smut and forced romance entirely and focused on Iris navigating the city, and it would have been a 10/10. The male lead needs a lot more development.

[✨️ Courtney ✨️ (courtneyreads_x) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️ this was honestly such a fun read ! Are there a few things I would change? yes... but overall a fun, unique read.

Finn x Iris were utterly adorable! How she just helps him find his old self...opening himself up to more spontaneity! How he did such romantic gestures for her.

T R O P E S

🐚opposites attract
💙mermaid princess x mayoral candidate
🐚sassy pelican
💙engagement of convenience
🐚forced proximity
💙one bed
🐚sweet moments
💙cat daddy

I feel like there are a few stories that can be continued from this, I'm eager to read Selene's story because who wouldn't want a black cat witch as a main lead 🖤💙 and ARDEN 🥵🥵🥵

Again, an FMC who loves to read is getting a bit cliche and a safe bet for authors.

And the miscommunication, Henry...ergh..no thank you !

[Bevany · Rating 4 out of 5]

A smutty supernatural romance. This is a sweet easy to read romance. there is a fun group of characters in this book with a lot of spicy scenes for smut readers.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was really drawn into the concept of Mermaid in Manhattan, but the writing left me adrift at sea. It was a fun premise of a mermaid marrying a human for a political merger. There were definite Little Mermaid allegories like a talking bird companion, literal fish out of water tendencies, and supernatural beauty. Iris was a fun character but there were 100 too many pages. We had unnecessary scenes of miscommunication and too much filler of nothingness. The talking pelican was annoying and he wishes he was Scuttle so bad. Finn was a great love interest. He was patient, kind, and the perfect candidate for marriage of convenience. I wanted a lot more from this book as it was wasted on unfortunate writing choices. I won't continue with this author, but it was cute to get my Little Mermaid fix. I wore that VHS out when I was a kid so I am a definite expert on mermaids. We need a lot more mermaid marriages and far less seaweed-adjacent sentences!

[Mia fawnsandfairytales · Rating 3 out of 5]

"𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒚, 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒔𝒆𝒂 𝒈𝒐𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒈𝒏 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓."

I had really high expectations for this book and expected to adore it after having such an amazing time reading 'my big fat vampire wedding', but this book didn't quite meet my expectations.

The premise has everything I love - an arranged marriage trope, mermaids, rivals to lovers, and a fake relationship - but unfortunately, how it all came together just didn't fully work for me.

While I loved the quirky and whimsical elements of this urban fantasy and feel like what we did get of it was executed really well, I wished for even more of it. Our fmc Iris spends a lot more time indoors than I expected for a book about a mermaid coming onto land for the first time, and to manhattan of all places!

I did love Iris's sidekick Monty the pelican, although he was very unpresent for most of the book, exploring the city on his own and becoming a celebrity.

I craved a lot more exploration in this book, as well as fun activities between both the love interests.

The mmc Finn is written to be emotionally closed off and entirely focused on his work, with no time for romance, but I still feel under the guise of 'PR' he and Iris could have gone on a lot of dates as a way to force them together.

Iris compares Finn to a "mannequin", and although I liked the complexity to his character and thought his development by the end was good (but maybe a bit sudden), I wished we as the reader got to see the other side of him. His pov's were as stiff as his public persona. We never get to see the real Finn.

I never felt like I knew his character, and the version of him we got during the spice scenes was shocking because it definitely felt out of character.

I just struggled to get a grasp of his personality, as well as Iris' too.

Finn didn't feel charming or charismatic, and I don't really have much at all I feel like I can even say about Iris.

They often switched up suddenly with their thoughts and opinions, as well as their feelings about each other, backtracking over and over.

I also found their romance lacking in substance too.

It was ALL lust.

Four spice scenes had played out before I felt any tangible connection between the pair of them.

I'm honestly still not sure what they had in common or WHY they fell in love by the end.

They just didn't communicate at all. The classic miscommunication trope was heavily at play, but I also found that information wasn't given to the reader in moments when it should have been.

A frustrating example of this is:

"they discussed little and big things - everything from his swim lessons to their feelings on starting a family."

I felt like I wasn't being given anything to work with.

After spice scenes, Iris and Finn immediately became closed off and didn't speak about their intimacy. This happened over and over again, making it incredibly repetitious and tiring.

There was one instance where Iris does finally tell Finn that she wants to get to know him better and spend more time with him, but just before a real conversation (which it had been about time for) can occur, Finn presses up against her and effectively silences Iris, turning the moment into another spice scene instead.

Regardless of the other issues I had, I will give kudos to the spicy scenes. There were plenty of them and they were well written and hot hot hot 🥵

I do think there may have been too many, however, as it feels like they took away time from actual relationship development to happen.

By the 80% mark, Iris and Finn's relationship remained predominantly just lust.

They avoided all chances at a conversation, Iris repeatedly ran off instead of hearing Finn out (although I do think his behaviour wasn't hear-out-able), and scenes were described in a couple of sentences.

The most disappointing of all being the talk show they were guests on.

It could have been a really fun scene, full of tension and excitement, but it was completely brushed over.

During the small recap of how the interview went, it's mentioned that it was the first time Finn felt like himself and was relaxed on screen due to Iris's presence and encouragement, so it felt like it should have been an especially important scene to watch play out.

Their whole relationship was just full of missing pieces for me. We were constantly told and not shown.

I was also very let down and disappointed that the adventure Iris and Finn took underwater to her kingdom was over in two pages. It was the fastest scene I've ever read.

Even the wedding wasn't shown on page, which was the whole point of the book. An arranged marriage.

There was also an aspect that confused me about the plot, which I'm not sure if it was meant to become a thing or not and had maybe just been forgotten about: there were a couple hints that showed that Finn or his manager had deceived Iris's mother into the marriage contract with the promise that their mayoral campaign would focus on greener policies; the only thing was, Finn's campaign already promised this to his constituents.

Iris's friend - a witch from a bookstore - almost reveals this to her but cuts herself off.

The deal was one-sided and wasn't equal, but this is never addressed.

During the final conflict of this book - which was down to a miscommunication - Finn leaves Iris in a state of distress, vunerable and half naked, surrounded by reporters, because after 90% of what should have been character development, he still hadn't shown that he could put Iris first.

I just couldn't understand the decisions Finn made, and I felt like Iris gave him too many chances.

Lastly, I had difficulty following conversations in this story due to not many dialogue tags being used. I often had to reread paragraphs because after 10 sentences during a conversation with no dialogue tags, I'd become very muddled up.

I do believe this book will appeal to other readers, but it just didn't match my expectations sadly. I am definitely still a lover of this authors writing, however, and would pick up more of their work in the future as the writing style itself was really good!

♥︎ 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒒𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔 ♥︎

"You got what you wanted."
"I did. And I’m never letting go of her."

"I want you. Wild, wonderful you."

"Nothing in this campaign - nothing in this whole damn city - has ever felt real until you."

~

thank you so much to avon books uk for the gifted proof in exchange for an honest review 🩵

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Iris, the daughter of the mermaid queen, is sent to land to marry Finn, a human politician and NYC mayoral candidate, in the hopes of securing ocean-friendly policies for the merfolk while boosting Finn's relatability and public image.

I loved the premise for this one, but the execution just did not work for me. The idea of a mermaid navigating life on land through a fake dating/arranged marriage setup with a politician for PR felt like a grown-up twist on the Little Mermaid. I loved Iris’s strong will and determination and her relationship with Monty. Monty himself was very reminiscent of Scuttle, but with a more modern, Big Apple, celebrity flair. The exploration of different paranormal communities that Iris encounters was another highlight. Her relationship with Selene was very touching. Finn, however, fell a little flat for me. I was hoping for more chivalry and wooing from his part when it came to Iris. I also felt like the story should have capitalized more on the forced proximity of the story. There was a lot of Iris and Finn giving into their urges, Iris getting hurt over Finn not defending her and them going their separate ways, only for the cycle to repeat again. The tension and chemistry was there, but the relationship itself felt underdeveloped, beyond the physical. It would have added more credibility to their relationship had we seen them getting to know each other more: more shared moments in close quarters, more conversations, maybe more “only one bed” mishaps…

Even though this one didn’t fully land for me, I’m definitely intrigued by what awaits Selene and Arden, given the hints sprinkled throughout the story.

Overall, this was a cute paranormal with a human-mermaid twist that fans of story of The Little Mermaid might enjoy if they’re looking for a more grown-up adventure.

Thank you to HarperCollins Canada and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

For a fun, light-hearted, romantic urban fantasy, this book was super enjoyable and hilariously witty written at times. However, the romance between mermaid Iris and human mayor candidate Finn felt really surface level and filled with spicy scenes instead of some deeper, meaningful moments. They were both good main characters, especially Iris with her journey of self-discovery and learning about land life, and Finn finding his old self again. The spicy scenes felt a little out of place at times, but were well written nonetheless.

I enjoyed the plot. It's very comfortably cliché with the arranged marriage and forced proximity tropes. The plot was entertaining though predictable, so this is a perfect read for when you're wanting something amusing with a mix of sweet and spicy. The side characters and friendships were great, especially Iris' BFF pelican, Monty. He carried the beginning of the book for me.

I do think the issues with Henry being overbearing, causing the third act breakup and being problematic were brushed off and not really dealt with at the end, giving a somewhat unsatisfying conclusion in that aspect, but overall, the book ends with a cute HEA that's sure to have your fins flapping in delight!

3/5 🌟

[Kristina L. | bookinandcookintx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mermaid in Manhattan by Jessica Gadziala is a romcom with a fantastical twist. It is clever, playful, and unexpectedly tender.

Iris is a mermaid utterly out of her depth, whisked onto dry land and into an impending marriage to Finn, a New York City mayoral candidate, all in the name of royal obligation. As she stumbles through Manhattan with wide‑eyed curiosity, she’s accompanied by a scene‑stealing, sharp‑tongued pelican—Mr. Monty Fetherington—whose commentary alone is worth the read. The humor is witty and brilliant, the banter crackles, and the story embraces a delightfully chaotic energy that makes every chapter a joy.

But beneath the laughs is a romance that truly lands. It’s so very clever, warm, spicy, and emotionally satisfying, adding depth without dulling the fun. The result is a story that’s cozy without being saccharine, sexy without losing its sparkle, and heartfelt without ever feeling heavy.

Magical, witty, and wildly entertaining, Mermaid in Manhattan is pure escapism done right.

Thanks to Avon UK for the early read!

[Grace -thewritebooks]

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

I read My Big Fat Vampire Wedding last year and thought it was such a fun time, didn't take itself too seriously and was giving Addams Family vibes with all the crazy family tree. This was much more like a Little Mermaid retelling, only she certainly doesn't lose her voice. I loved that despite the arranged marriage trope going on in the background, really this felt like more of a friends to lovers plotline because despite their differences, I don't think Iris and Finn (fish-themed name did make me laugh) ever really tried to upset each other.
There was no huge drama, which in a romance is something I quite appreciate - I truly could not care less about third act drama. There also wasn't really a Big Bad which surprised me, especially since there were a few options that it could have been. Enjoyed this as a gentle, lighthearted romance <3

[TT · Rating 4 out of 5]

More mermaid books needed pls

Things I liked: the variety of different supernatural species was great, the modern setting where it’s totally normal to bump into a Minotaur on the subway, and FMCs supporting cast of friends.

Things I disliked: Henry. He was just a terrible person, and I’m a bit disappointed that he didn’t have any sort of comeuppance. Finn is a bit of a wet blanket at times, and their relationship is a bit dull at times as a result. And I wish we’d found out more about the world and all the species co-existing within it.

This was a cute read, funny in the right places (love a fish pun), and just a nice little palette cleanser if you’ve read something heavy.

This is a solid 3.5 for me - I’m rating it 4 because while I don’t think it’s there, a 3 feels overly harsh.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Avon Books UK, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was so excited to read this one, but it honestly fell flat for me. Both Iris and Finn were extremely hard characters to like, and root for. Iris was super immature, and Finn was very self obsessed. Together they were kind of a disaster so it made it hard to buy into the relationship.

I did enjoy the elements of having a paranormal romance take place in Manhattan! It was fun getting to see all different types of fantasy/magic exist in NYC.

Overall this book wasn’t a hit for me, but if you enjoy paranormal romance with forced proximity and arranged marriage you might like this one!

[bookslovereaders Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

This was a fun and easy read. I liked the paranormal element with the FMC being a mermaid, as well as other characters being witches, a demon, a dryad and my favourite a talking pelican.

There were moments of laughter, sweetness and spice. And I found it really easy to read. I did want Iris and Finn our two main characters to have a bit more interaction but also got it as part of the storyline was about Finn not putting Iris first and needing to grow as a person.

I loved the secondary characters. Especially Arden and Selene and let’s not forget Montague Featherington! They brought a little more to the story especially towards Iris’ character and made her more fleshed out. I kinda wanted more of this for Finn too.

Overall it was an enjoyable romance read.

[ameliiesmithh · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars!!
cute read

[Bookworm Blogger · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 (RTC)

[ash ⋆⭒˚.⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was such a fun book but the closer it got to the end the more I realised I didn’t really feel like I knew a whole lot about the characters and their lives, and there were conversations about their pasts they kept saying they needed to have that we never saw them have. other than that I loved it

[Stella Luna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review!

Tropes: Cozy Fantasy Romance, Fish Out of Water, Arranged Marriage, Forced Proximity, One Bed, Dual POV, Insta Lust, Found Family, Miscommunication, Political Intrigue

This is the second book I’ve read by Gadziala, and I liked this one so much more! I was so excited about the premise. I love Fish Out of Water tropes, and this was literally that.

Iris is our FMC, a mermaid, who goes ashore to live with her fiancé, Finn, for a couple of months before their marriage and his mayoral election. She really does not want to do this. She loves the sea. I’ve found that when reading Arranged Marriage tropes with royalty, either the parties are resigned to their life as a political pawn or they fight tooth and nail. Iris fought tooth and nail. Although, as she was acclimating, she made some great friends who were fun to read about, especially Monty.

Finn is definitely on the “resigned to his fate” end of the spectrum when it comes to arranged marriages. He basically needs to appear less like a single white man running for mayor, lol. What I didn’t like—and what honestly never got resolved—was that the only reason Iris is marrying him is because he promised his mom that he would push through a water pollution policy… but that was already part of his mayoral campaign and not anything new. So, like… what are they actually getting out of it? Maybe everyone just knew what was going on, didn’t care, and still agreed to the marriage, but it felt odd and unresolved.

Iris and Finn are instantly attracted to each other. I mean, Iris is a mermaid, so she is drop-dead gorgeous. And Finn is the picture-perfect guy… on the surface. Iris quickly realizes that a lot of who Finn is feels fake and polished for the cameras and press, whereas she is authentically herself. I did wish Finn did more to help Iris acclimate to the surface world. These two had so much miscommunication. Then they’d be like, “I don’t know that much about him/her.” Like… how about you two sit down and talk to each other if that’s an issue?

I did not like Henry. He is Finn’s campaign manager and longtime friend. I was looking hard to see that friendship and just could not find it. In my eyes, Henry was the bad guy in this book, and I was disappointed when he was still friends with Finn at the end. He was so rude to Iris and wanted to change everything about her. In the beginning, Finn let him steamroll all over him, though he did get better by the end.

I will say the sexual tension and spice in this book were on point. However, just like Gadziala’s last book, My Big Fat Vampire Wedding, they only had sex in public spaces. I’m really racking my brain trying to remember if they were ever intimate in private, but they really weren’t. And there were maaaany spicy scenes in this book. So basically, I was stressed during all of them because I thought they were for sure going to get caught.

The ending was… all right. There was a dramatic breakup scene that Henry was, of course, responsible for. Then Finn makes a huge apology, and they live happily ever after. But I don’t know—I just felt okay at the end, not super happy or excited about how it turned out. I get that Iris was okay giving up her life under the sea, but it still felt like she missed it so much, and there wasn’t much resolution for that either. These two really need to learn about compromise.

Overall, this was a cozy mermaid fantasy with some political elements, an arranged marriage, a dash of groveling, and quite a bit of miscommunication.

[Claire ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny, light-hearted love story.

I've always wanted to read something where fantastical elements mesh with the real, modern world, and MERMAID IN MANHATTAN does it excellently. After being forced into an engagement with New York's human mayoral candidate Finn Westrock, Princess Iris of the mer realms does everything she can to sabotage the arrangement – until feelings start to rise.

Iris arrives in Manhattan naive and completely unprepared for her betrothal, whereas Finn approaches the relationship as a PR opportunity for the upcoming election, and between the glittering socialite balls, fantastical parades and photoshoots, both organically grow more into themselves and each other between heartfelt moments and hilarious shenanigans. The humour in this book is top-notch, particularly from Iris' faithful pelican companion Monty and her bookseller witch friend Selene. A lot of their dialogue made me laugh out loud, leading to some comical moments between the relationship-building.

I did like a lot of the world-building, especially the way the fantasy elements were integrated into the contemporary. There are modesty boxes for mermaids who emerge from the sea and transform, permission cards for vampires to take blood, dryads campaigning for greener spaces, etc. Through Finn's character we see the political manoeuvering it takes to make these things a reality, and the consequences as well. If anything I think the physical scene setting needed some work, as often I didn't feel entirely immersed in the environment the characters were telling the story. I didn't get a solid idea of the mer kingdom beneath the sea even though we visit it multiple times, and even Manhattan itself is treated more like backdrop at a school play rather than a city you can go to. At one point Iris leaves her apartment, goes to the bookshop to meet her friend, and then miraculously winds up outside the wedding venue in about a page's worth of dialogue – I know New York is very centralised, but I think the convenience might be slightly exaggerated.

Overall a really fun book, and great for someone who wanted something a little lighter.

WILL I READ MORE BY THIS AUTHOR? Yes! I might check out MY BIG FAT VAMPIRE WEDDING now.

ARC received from Avon Books UK in exchange for an honest review. This title releases on the 23rd April 2026.

LAST REVIEW

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this five seashell, hot pretzel, talking pelican, iridescent scales, and bad intention warding stars!

Someone make this movie! Right. Now.

Jessica delivers an effortlessly easy to love heroine, Iris, in this story along with a…colorful and varied group of support characters that would be hard to forget.

Iris, the middle-child princess, is sold off in a political alliance between the eco-friendly potential mayor of magical New York and her mother the Queen of the Ocean. Every girl’s dream amiright? Iris is funny, smart, devious at times, and is an easy leading lady to root for.

Finn, political ambitions aside, is a dream…just one that takes a minute to unwrap. Let that nerd flag fly my man, no one’s dream man is a polished poster child for voting polls. Despite the start where we see the face Finn gives the world, he really is a kind hearted hero (with great calves) underneath. Thank God, or this story would be called “The Mermaid and the Toad” instead.

NOW- let me praise Monty, Selene, Arden, and Willow by name because this book would not have survived without their existence. The fact JG can create side characters that makes you long for them to be real and also be your friends is almost as amazing as her epilogues.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book and pray, wish, hope, or light a candle that a decent director picks this up and puts this to film immediately.

If you haven’t stalked Jessica’s indie published works, please fall down that rabbit hole - you won’t regret it!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the ARC. This review was my own opinion and wording.

[Helena · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review might contain some smaller spoilers but overall it should not give anything of the plot away.

Okay here we go... I have so much to say about this book. I have the Forbidden Wing sub and the May book will be this one. And because I´m sure it will look amazing I really want to not skip this. I also had this book on my TBR before the sub announcement, so I planned on reading it anyway, because we don´t get enough spicy Mermaid rom-coms, right? I read My Big Fat Vampire Wedding from this author last year and it was okay... What lacked in the aforementioned book was the lack of romance and genuine connection between the MCs. And unfortunately the same thing is happening here. But more about that later.

First of all, I loved the overall idea, world building and characters, especially the side characters, who were quite fleshed out and had great dialogue. I mean, the idea of Monty the emotional support pelican who wants to climb the social ladder and is always caught trying to eat the cat - it´s such a cute and funny idea. I can really envision this fantastical version of Manhattan where Paranormals live amongside humans. The writing style pulled me in and this book is a lot tamer than I thought - the spice was rather mild and non-descript compared to other books, but it was still present and I think it makes sense for the setting and style of the story. But I would not call it steamy, as advertised. But maybe that´s just the way it feels to me, because I read a lot of steamier books and expected more spice.

I kind of went into this thinking this would be a little like "How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days" because on the authors IG page it´s advertised like this. Mermaid princess Iris does not really want to marry the stiff mayoral candidate Finn, who she is engaged to in an arranged marriage. And man, this could´ve been such a great thing- playing with the idea of her trying anything in her repertoire to sabotage this wedding and drive Finn away - and him trying anything to please her, maybe even knowing she´s doing and it trying to sabotage her sabotaging - if you know what I mean. The POTENTIAL, my friends! But this idea was only touched upon early on and never really continued, even though her friend Selene had so many funny ideas how to drive him away. Why was this only scratched upon and then forgotten? Maybe I had the wrong expectation, but this is how I would´ve done it. This way there would´ve been more substance to the plot and more room for growth and chemistry between the MCs. Her saboting could´ve led to actually helping him with the vote, because people finally saw the real him and not his fake side. Him mentioning he could not swim could´ve led to her having to save him from drowing. Again: The potential! I want to throw glitter on that word.

Now let´s get to the romance - or lack thereof. This is the same problem I encountered in MBFVW, where I actually prefered anything else to the romance. Even though in this book we even have dual POV. But even that doesn´t save the book from shallowness when it comes to the connection between Iris and Finn. Because there was none. These two had me so confused. What were they? They never really spend much time together on page and if they did it was shallow and short. A lot of telling but no showing. It was kind of insta-lusty aswell and never went beyond the physical thing. Finn liked her right from the beginning and after a few days of knowing her is already thinking about maybe wanting more from her. Jesus. And Iris is always pissed that he never shows her his real side but doesn´t really bother trying to get to know him better. So there´s also miscommunication. Let´s just say the romance between them does not feel earned.

I expected banter and sexual tension, some cute and romantic bonding moments - but they weren´t really there. Some physical things happened between them pretty early on, but they never really had a deeper conversation first. They were kind of on and off, hot and cold. One moment he´s fingering her and the next they act like it never happened, shutting each other out, lol. It was kind of clinical. How did they even get there? Gave me fucking whiplash. They suddenly had sex before actually having a real connection. I HATE this in books! Again this had so much potential to be brilliant but the author decided to focus more on other things in this book than the acutal romance. Though I loved that this was not just about the romance and other stuff happened, e.g. time for friendships to form, but please, don´t sacrifice the romance for it! Why is it so hard for authors to write about real connection, believable build-up, maybe a little more suspense, some drama? The stakes here seemed a bit low and there could´ve been so many interesting/funny moments with the whole election thing. But the story didn´t really know where it was going, it seemed. The side characters had more personality than the MCs.

It was a safe read, though, which I appreciate a lot. Iris was described as being kind of open with her sexuality, because of the nature of mermaids when it comes to intimacy and sex. Regarding Finn, we don´t get anything about his sexual history. There´s a little OW drama if you squint, because Finn is flirted with but it´s pretty obvious he´s not into it. But it´s so minor, I wouldn´t even count it.

If the romance had more depth and substance, if the whole "How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days"-idea would´ve actually been executed, if the story had more stakes and structure, the MCs actual personalities than this could´ve been a wonderful 5 star read. I will still give it a 3,5 stars because I enjoyed reading everything else, and even the romance had a few moments I liked, so it wasn´t terrible. But I´m kind of sick of authors trampling a great story and drowning potential by now, as well as not being able to write a decent build-up and connection between two characters. I think I will still get the sub book for this, though.