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Das Jahr der Wale
Manchmal muss man verloren gehen, um nach Hause zu finden ...
Der bewegende RomanDas Jahr der Wale erzählt von einer jungen Frau zwischen zwei Welten: zwischen Land und Meer, Sicherheit und Sehnsucht, Liebe und Bestimmung. Ein Liebesroman und eine Ode an die Natur.
Annie MacLeod hat schon immer gespürt, dass sie anders ist. Ihre Kindheit verbringt sie hauptsächlich auf einem Segelboot vor der Westküste Kanadas, denn ihre Mutter erträgt es nicht, längere Zeit vom Meer getrennt zu sein. Doch in Hale's Landing wartet Evan auf Annie, und als die beiden erwachsen werden, wird aus der Kindheitsfreundschaft etwas Tieferes.
Eines Tages bleibt Annie zum ersten Mal allein bei Evan, während ihre Eltern segeln gehen. In dieser Nacht zerstört ein Tsunami ihre ganze Welt. Annie ist an Land gestrandet, ihre Eltern kehren nicht zurück. Am Strand rettet Annie einen jungen Mann aus den Fluten. Walker scheint stumm zu sein, trotzdem spürt sie sofort eine seltsame Verbindung. Als würde etwas in ihm zu etwas in ihr sprechen, das ihr selbst verborgen ist.
Dann soll Hale's Landing evakuiert werden, und Annie muss entscheiden, wohin ihr Herz gehört …
Healing Novel trifft auf Nature Writing – poetisch, bewegend und mit Bildern, die im Kopf bleiben.
Kelly Andersons wunderbarer Roman verbindet eine große, emotionale Geschichte über Familie und verschiedene Arten von Liebe mit eindringlichen Bildern. Die Schönheit und Verletzlichkeit der Natur spricht direkt zu unserer wilden Seele.
»Bezaubernd. Die Geschichte erinnert uns daran, dass das Unmögliche manchmal möglich ist.« Jodi Picoult
»Ein atemberaubendes Debüt, das lange nachhallt.« Christina Baker Kline
Der bewegende RomanDas Jahr der Wale erzählt von einer jungen Frau zwischen zwei Welten: zwischen Land und Meer, Sicherheit und Sehnsucht, Liebe und Bestimmung. Ein Liebesroman und eine Ode an die Natur.
Annie MacLeod hat schon immer gespürt, dass sie anders ist. Ihre Kindheit verbringt sie hauptsächlich auf einem Segelboot vor der Westküste Kanadas, denn ihre Mutter erträgt es nicht, längere Zeit vom Meer getrennt zu sein. Doch in Hale's Landing wartet Evan auf Annie, und als die beiden erwachsen werden, wird aus der Kindheitsfreundschaft etwas Tieferes.
Eines Tages bleibt Annie zum ersten Mal allein bei Evan, während ihre Eltern segeln gehen. In dieser Nacht zerstört ein Tsunami ihre ganze Welt. Annie ist an Land gestrandet, ihre Eltern kehren nicht zurück. Am Strand rettet Annie einen jungen Mann aus den Fluten. Walker scheint stumm zu sein, trotzdem spürt sie sofort eine seltsame Verbindung. Als würde etwas in ihm zu etwas in ihr sprechen, das ihr selbst verborgen ist.
Dann soll Hale's Landing evakuiert werden, und Annie muss entscheiden, wohin ihr Herz gehört …
Healing Novel trifft auf Nature Writing – poetisch, bewegend und mit Bildern, die im Kopf bleiben.
Kelly Andersons wunderbarer Roman verbindet eine große, emotionale Geschichte über Familie und verschiedene Arten von Liebe mit eindringlichen Bildern. Die Schönheit und Verletzlichkeit der Natur spricht direkt zu unserer wilden Seele.
»Bezaubernd. Die Geschichte erinnert uns daran, dass das Unmögliche manchmal möglich ist.« Jodi Picoult
»Ein atemberaubendes Debüt, das lange nachhallt.« Christina Baker Kline
393 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,069 reviews
April 26, 2026
Basically if remarkably bright creatures and twilight had a forbidden love child
August 15, 2026
2 ⭐️ So is she a whale or what
September 7, 2025
Beautiful. Breathtaking. Indescribable. Unlike anything I’ve ever read before, in the best way possible. This is a book that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page; I truly haven’t stopped thinking about it.
August 22, 2026
This one drops you right into the action with a devastating tsunami in the opening pages! Set near Vancouver Island, this multi-timeline story follows Annie through the aftermath of the disaster, her childhood memories, and her life twenty years later.
Annie has endured an extraordinary amount of grief and loss. Following in her father's footsteps, she becomes a physician, but she buries herself in her work—feeling disconnected, lonely, and detached from her own life. Through it all, her deep bond with the ocean and land remains a constant thread.
Two key relationships anchor her story: her lifelong friend Evan, whose sweet childhood connection eventually blossoms into something deeper, and Walker, who helps her reconnect with the natural world and reminds her of the childhood she spent at sea with her parents. While the story skips around through different storylines, everything ultimately weaves together. The ending takes a slightly magical turn, but it worked.
Annie has endured an extraordinary amount of grief and loss. Following in her father's footsteps, she becomes a physician, but she buries herself in her work—feeling disconnected, lonely, and detached from her own life. Through it all, her deep bond with the ocean and land remains a constant thread.
Two key relationships anchor her story: her lifelong friend Evan, whose sweet childhood connection eventually blossoms into something deeper, and Walker, who helps her reconnect with the natural world and reminds her of the childhood she spent at sea with her parents. While the story skips around through different storylines, everything ultimately weaves together. The ending takes a slightly magical turn, but it worked.
July 31, 2026
I'm starting to think I wasn't particularly lucky with my book choices during this Portugal trip. I really thought The Wild Beneath was going to be THE book.
Maybe I went in with expectations that were a little too high (which is never fair to a book), but the premise sounded exactly like something I would love. It felt very fitting, considering I was reading it while spending my vacation by the sea.
I ended up reading most of it in just two sittings: one on the train to Porto and the other on my journey back home. I don't know if reading it that way affected my experience, but I guess we'll never know.
First things first: the book started really, really strong. I was immediately hooked by the dual timeline and the different povs, although Annie's was definitely the one we spent the most time with. The present timeline follows the aftermath of a tragic event that completely changes Annie's life and it broke my heart. The author did a wonderful job portraying grief because I could really feel Annie's sadness and loneliness through the pages.
I also loved the chapters set in the past—watching Annie grow up on a sailboat surrounded by the ocean was fascinating. I don't think I could ever live that kind of life myself, but I loved reading about it. I could tell how much love the author has for the sea and for that lifestyle because it wasn't romanticized; it was simply an essential part of who the characters are, especially Annie's mother.
Another thing I really enjoyed was the side characters. There wasn't a single one I found uninteresting, and I always loved when we switched povs because it gave me a better understanding of everyone around Annie.
So... if I enjoyed all of that, why only three stars? That's honestly the difficult part to explain. As I said, I liked the writing. I liked the characters. I even liked what the book was trying to say. But somewhere around the middle, I started struggling. The pacing became quite repetitive for me. It felt like some emotions, conversations, and situations kept going in circles, and I just wanted the story to move forward. I even considered dnfing it once I reached the second half. I won't go into specifics because I don't want to spoil the book, but some decisions the characters made didn't convince me, and I don't know the way we reached the ending wasn't my favorite.
I think this book also confirmed something I've been suspecting for a while: magical realism is a very hit-or-miss genre for me. When it works, I love it. But when it doesn't... well, you can guess. It's pretty disappointing. And we can all repeat together: I understood the message, but the way it was presented just wasn't for me.
That being said, I appreciated what I took away from it. Annie (and many of the other characters) go through devastating losses. This isn't an easy story but it reminded me that healing is possible. It also explores what happens when we're forced to leave behind the truest version of ourselves we've always known and learn to embrace someone new.
I also loved the way the book questions the idea of home. Home isn't always a place with the classic four walls. Sometimes it's the people who make you feel understood. And sometimes it's simply finding the place where you finally feel like you belong.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this e-arc.
Maybe I went in with expectations that were a little too high (which is never fair to a book), but the premise sounded exactly like something I would love. It felt very fitting, considering I was reading it while spending my vacation by the sea.
I ended up reading most of it in just two sittings: one on the train to Porto and the other on my journey back home. I don't know if reading it that way affected my experience, but I guess we'll never know.
First things first: the book started really, really strong. I was immediately hooked by the dual timeline and the different povs, although Annie's was definitely the one we spent the most time with. The present timeline follows the aftermath of a tragic event that completely changes Annie's life and it broke my heart. The author did a wonderful job portraying grief because I could really feel Annie's sadness and loneliness through the pages.
I also loved the chapters set in the past—watching Annie grow up on a sailboat surrounded by the ocean was fascinating. I don't think I could ever live that kind of life myself, but I loved reading about it. I could tell how much love the author has for the sea and for that lifestyle because it wasn't romanticized; it was simply an essential part of who the characters are, especially Annie's mother.
Another thing I really enjoyed was the side characters. There wasn't a single one I found uninteresting, and I always loved when we switched povs because it gave me a better understanding of everyone around Annie.
So... if I enjoyed all of that, why only three stars? That's honestly the difficult part to explain. As I said, I liked the writing. I liked the characters. I even liked what the book was trying to say. But somewhere around the middle, I started struggling. The pacing became quite repetitive for me. It felt like some emotions, conversations, and situations kept going in circles, and I just wanted the story to move forward. I even considered dnfing it once I reached the second half. I won't go into specifics because I don't want to spoil the book, but some decisions the characters made didn't convince me, and I don't know the way we reached the ending wasn't my favorite.
I think this book also confirmed something I've been suspecting for a while: magical realism is a very hit-or-miss genre for me. When it works, I love it. But when it doesn't... well, you can guess. It's pretty disappointing. And we can all repeat together: I understood the message, but the way it was presented just wasn't for me.
That being said, I appreciated what I took away from it. Annie (and many of the other characters) go through devastating losses. This isn't an easy story but it reminded me that healing is possible. It also explores what happens when we're forced to leave behind the truest version of ourselves we've always known and learn to embrace someone new.
I also loved the way the book questions the idea of home. Home isn't always a place with the classic four walls. Sometimes it's the people who make you feel understood. And sometimes it's simply finding the place where you finally feel like you belong.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this e-arc.
September 19, 2026
this was something...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3 ⭐
A tsunami upends her enviable explorer lifestyle along with all that was solid and reliable, and Annie MacLeod soon finds herself at a crossroads; stay with what’s comfortable, stable and grounding OR risk it all for adventure, magic and secrecy.
I felt the pull of the familiar as much as I longed for her to heed the whispers of adventure. I appreciated the call to leave all that robs us of our childlike trust and sense of wonder and a unique plot focused on choices, resilience and connections.
Unfortunately, the author’s choice of writing style and format didn’t appeal to me.
I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.
A tsunami upends her enviable explorer lifestyle along with all that was solid and reliable, and Annie MacLeod soon finds herself at a crossroads; stay with what’s comfortable, stable and grounding OR risk it all for adventure, magic and secrecy.
I felt the pull of the familiar as much as I longed for her to heed the whispers of adventure. I appreciated the call to leave all that robs us of our childlike trust and sense of wonder and a unique plot focused on choices, resilience and connections.
Unfortunately, the author’s choice of writing style and format didn’t appeal to me.
I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.
July 28, 2026
This story spoke to my soul. The emphasis on our interconnectedness with nature, the prose, the love stories, the yearning, the way Anderson writes with such childlike curiosity. I loved it. I really loved it.
On the surface, this is a story about Annie, a girl raised on a sailboat with an almost instinctive connection to the ocean. But it’s so much more than that. It’s an exploration of what happens when we’re pushed away from the wild, curious versions of ourselves and expected to find our place in a world that often asks us to let go of wonder.
It’s about searching for your people, finding love in those who accept you exactly as you are, and rediscovering the parts of yourself you were taught to outgrow. It’s about the restorative power of solitude in nature. It’s about grief, depression, heartbreak, and the quiet hope that healing is possible. There is magic here, but it’s subtle and perfect.
The ending is ambiguous and may frustrate some readers, but I found it thoughtful and true to the story. It challenged me without feeling unearned. I could also see some readers struggling with the slower pacing. For me, it felt exactly right. Admittedly, Annie and Mara both annoyed me at times but it felt intentional enough that it didn’t take away from my enjoyment.
I think weird nature adults who used to be weird nature kids, especially those who sometimes feel overwhelmed by the modern world, are going to adore this. If you gravitate toward stories about self-discovery, belonging, and love, I think this one will stay with you.
Basically, It reminded me to pay attention to the natural world, to stay curious, and to protect the parts of myself that still feel a bit of magic in nature.
Thank you to Park Row and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
On the surface, this is a story about Annie, a girl raised on a sailboat with an almost instinctive connection to the ocean. But it’s so much more than that. It’s an exploration of what happens when we’re pushed away from the wild, curious versions of ourselves and expected to find our place in a world that often asks us to let go of wonder.
It’s about searching for your people, finding love in those who accept you exactly as you are, and rediscovering the parts of yourself you were taught to outgrow. It’s about the restorative power of solitude in nature. It’s about grief, depression, heartbreak, and the quiet hope that healing is possible. There is magic here, but it’s subtle and perfect.
The ending is ambiguous and may frustrate some readers, but I found it thoughtful and true to the story. It challenged me without feeling unearned. I could also see some readers struggling with the slower pacing. For me, it felt exactly right. Admittedly, Annie and Mara both annoyed me at times but it felt intentional enough that it didn’t take away from my enjoyment.
I think weird nature adults who used to be weird nature kids, especially those who sometimes feel overwhelmed by the modern world, are going to adore this. If you gravitate toward stories about self-discovery, belonging, and love, I think this one will stay with you.
Basically, It reminded me to pay attention to the natural world, to stay curious, and to protect the parts of myself that still feel a bit of magic in nature.
Thank you to Park Row and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 13, 2026
2⭐️ What did I just listen to?? I finished it mostly because I needed to know if the mermaid/whale/fish transformation thing I invented in my head was actually going to happen.
May 13, 2026
Content warning below!!
I received this ARC as part of giveaway from Booktrovert. Thank you so much!! I was really hoping to love this one.
DNF at 16% due to undisclosed animal cruelty. The community takes axes and chainsaws to a living beached humpback whale. What the actual fuck - why do this to me. I just watched Blackfish. I can’t take this.
Someone marked this as a TW: brief harm to a whale. I get that they were trying to help. But that wasn’t brief harm. The moment was brief, but the chopping up a live whale is not just harm in my book and the distress lasts longer than a brief moment. The fact someone made this up and wrote it in a book disturbs me.
I received this ARC as part of giveaway from Booktrovert. Thank you so much!! I was really hoping to love this one.
DNF at 16% due to undisclosed animal cruelty. The community takes axes and chainsaws to a living beached humpback whale. What the actual fuck - why do this to me. I just watched Blackfish. I can’t take this.
Someone marked this as a TW: brief harm to a whale. I get that they were trying to help. But that wasn’t brief harm. The moment was brief, but the chopping up a live whale is not just harm in my book and the distress lasts longer than a brief moment. The fact someone made this up and wrote it in a book disturbs me.
August 5, 2026
I’ve got a bone to pick with all the folks who claimed this was on the same level as Wild, Dark Shore.
Temu Wild, Dark Shore maybe.
The writing was so cheesy. The plot was predictable and slow. The characters were so boring. DNF three quarters of the way through. I gotta stop listening to Reese Witherspoon
Temu Wild, Dark Shore maybe.
The writing was so cheesy. The plot was predictable and slow. The characters were so boring. DNF three quarters of the way through. I gotta stop listening to Reese Witherspoon
September 30, 2026
Full spoiler breakdown/Connect with me: SpillthePlot.com.
The Wild Beneath begins after a massive earthquake and tsunami devastate a remote coastal town in British Columbia. Twenty-year-old Annie, grieving her missing parents, discovers a mysterious unconscious man on the beach—and his arrival seems strangely connected to the sea.
The writing is absolutely gorgeous. Kelly Anderson’s descriptions of the Pacific Northwest are so vivid you can practically smell the salt air. Unfortunately, beautiful prose alone isn’t enough for me.
This was so slow. I need a book to make me think, make me feel something, or keep me turning pages, and this never really did any of those. The love triangle felt predictable, and while I didn’t mind the increasingly strange magical-realism elements, I never became emotionally invested in them.
Maybe I just need more plot with my pretty sentences. 😅
Beautiful writing, interesting ideas, but ultimately underwhelming for me.
The Wild Beneath begins after a massive earthquake and tsunami devastate a remote coastal town in British Columbia. Twenty-year-old Annie, grieving her missing parents, discovers a mysterious unconscious man on the beach—and his arrival seems strangely connected to the sea.
The writing is absolutely gorgeous. Kelly Anderson’s descriptions of the Pacific Northwest are so vivid you can practically smell the salt air. Unfortunately, beautiful prose alone isn’t enough for me.
This was so slow. I need a book to make me think, make me feel something, or keep me turning pages, and this never really did any of those. The love triangle felt predictable, and while I didn’t mind the increasingly strange magical-realism elements, I never became emotionally invested in them.
Maybe I just need more plot with my pretty sentences. 😅
Beautiful writing, interesting ideas, but ultimately underwhelming for me.
August 19, 2026
Such an interesting idea, such a slow, boring way to present it. I would rather have read a full fantasy book about people from the sea that come to land then this winding, vague story about a woman who sounds more like she is on the spectrum than is magical in some way. It starts off interesting but then stalls hard at about 60% and much of the rest was a slog. The payoff for all the vague whatever about the call of the sea was so short and so close to the end I was annoyed. And I didn't understand these relationships at all. Why does Aiden love Mara? What made walker so appealing? Neither of them really talks or says anything of substance, just vague nonsense. E and A have a meaningful history but even then she is very selfish and he's constantly just doing whatever for her.
Finally, mostly the writing in this book is pretty good but one passage was like a record scratch, it was so confounding I had to rewind more than once, ""she's only 45 but she has a sphynx-like reincarnated presence" wtf does that mean?!
Overall it was lyricism without much plot, and that's a shame because the idea was cool.
Finally, mostly the writing in this book is pretty good but one passage was like a record scratch, it was so confounding I had to rewind more than once, ""she's only 45 but she has a sphynx-like reincarnated presence" wtf does that mean?!
Overall it was lyricism without much plot, and that's a shame because the idea was cool.
August 18, 2026
What a weird fucking book.
April 27, 2026
THIS BOOK. So dreamy.
🧜♀️ saltwater vibes
🪼 magical realism
🐚 alternating timelines
🌊 coming of age
⛵️ lyrical storytelling
This book felt like salt air, grief, mystery, and longing all tangled together.
I loved the medical threads woven into two of the main characters, one a doctor and one a nurse. The little bits of medical jargon and nursing care? Chef’s kiss.
I loved the boat being such a central part of the story. It wasn’t just a setting. It felt alive. Atmospheric, intimate, and full of secrets.
And the ocean? The author made it feel mysterious and dangerous, but also comforting. Like it was telling its own story. Like it was home.
There’s also this recurring theme of stepping away from phones, work, and the autopilot blur of life to actually live for the people we love. And honestly? Tempting. Extremely tempting. Throw my phone into the sea, babes.
And personally, I read the main character as neurodivergent, and I was very much here for it.
At its heart, this is about love, loss, family, and the kind of longing that lives deep under the surface. Soft, strange, and beautiful.
⚠️TW: brief harm to a whale, death of a parent, alcohol misuse
🧜♀️ saltwater vibes
🪼 magical realism
🐚 alternating timelines
🌊 coming of age
⛵️ lyrical storytelling
This book felt like salt air, grief, mystery, and longing all tangled together.
I loved the medical threads woven into two of the main characters, one a doctor and one a nurse. The little bits of medical jargon and nursing care? Chef’s kiss.
I loved the boat being such a central part of the story. It wasn’t just a setting. It felt alive. Atmospheric, intimate, and full of secrets.
And the ocean? The author made it feel mysterious and dangerous, but also comforting. Like it was telling its own story. Like it was home.
There’s also this recurring theme of stepping away from phones, work, and the autopilot blur of life to actually live for the people we love. And honestly? Tempting. Extremely tempting. Throw my phone into the sea, babes.
And personally, I read the main character as neurodivergent, and I was very much here for it.
At its heart, this is about love, loss, family, and the kind of longing that lives deep under the surface. Soft, strange, and beautiful.
⚠️TW: brief harm to a whale, death of a parent, alcohol misuse
September 9, 2026
Not going to lie, this one lost me at the end. Not only did it become extremely boring but then it also got really weird and was trying to tell me something deep that I obviously did not understand.
September 9, 2026
We’re going to go with a soft 3. I didn’t hate it, but I did not connect with the writing style.
I felt like the timelines were disjointed and I have many questions about her parents still. Many POV’s of her dad and I still want to understand better!
I am annoyed by Walker’s presence, how he had Evan second guessing his commitment and love for her. Evan was too good for her. This is no ‘if you’re a whale, I’m a whale’. In the end I’m just sad for Evan.
I felt like the timelines were disjointed and I have many questions about her parents still. Many POV’s of her dad and I still want to understand better!
I am annoyed by Walker’s presence, how he had Evan second guessing his commitment and love for her. Evan was too good for her. This is no ‘if you’re a whale, I’m a whale’. In the end I’m just sad for Evan.
March 25, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC.
This story is ethereal, a little haunting, mysterious and so unique. If you’ve ever felt drawn to the ocean, you need to read this book. I felt enveloped in this story and wrapped up with all of its characters. I found little pieces of myself in all of them and loved the multiple POV. Annie is complex and I didn’t mind being in the dark with her because the journey to the light was so beautiful.
There are so many beautiful themes to explore in this book: love, coming of age, resilience, unconditional love and our relationship with nature, modern day living and technology. I think I could wax poetic about it for weeks.
At first, Mara really bothered me, but I came to understand her much the same as Aiden did, and isn’t that the whole point of the story??
Will be telling everyone to read 🩵
This story is ethereal, a little haunting, mysterious and so unique. If you’ve ever felt drawn to the ocean, you need to read this book. I felt enveloped in this story and wrapped up with all of its characters. I found little pieces of myself in all of them and loved the multiple POV. Annie is complex and I didn’t mind being in the dark with her because the journey to the light was so beautiful.
There are so many beautiful themes to explore in this book: love, coming of age, resilience, unconditional love and our relationship with nature, modern day living and technology. I think I could wax poetic about it for weeks.
At first, Mara really bothered me, but I came to understand her much the same as Aiden did, and isn’t that the whole point of the story??
Will be telling everyone to read 🩵
October 10, 2026
The Wild Beneath is the first novel by Canadian author, Kelly Anderson. Annie MacLeod was born in the Pacific Ocean and has always been more comfortable at sea than on land. Her father, Aiden, when he met the enigmatic Mara, was so enchanted that he gave up a promising career as a doctor, much to his mother, Ruth’s dismay, so that they could live on the water.
Their sailboat, Amphitrite was home; their livelihood, fish they caught and sold ashore; Annie was schooled there; the family was intimate with the ocean. But while visiting Ruth, and trying out school at Hale’s Landing, Annie encounters Evan Hale, heir to a lucrative logging business, grieving the loss of his mother.
Romance blooms from their childhood friendship, and a party in the hills with Evan is the reason that Annie, at twenty, is not aboard Amphitrite when a magnitude 9 offshore quake triggers a devastating tsunami. Ruth and her cottage at Hale’s Landing still stand, and it’s there Annie takes refuge, waiting, hoping.
The destruction is extensive. As a registered nurse, Ruth provides first aid to the isolated community. Scavenging for food on the beach, Annie comes across a naked man who loses consciousness. She assumes is a survivor in need of help, but he seems to emit a hum only she can hear. Watched over in Ruth’s cabin, she feels a deep connection to the man she calls Walker.
But what about Evan? How can she reconcile the depth of feeling she has for each man? When walker is suddenly gone, it’s Evan who is her safety net. Six years on, Annie is leading a much more conventional life than the way she grew up until, suddenly that hum is back…
Kelly Anderson’s impressive debut has a touch of the paranormal and is a moving and mysterious tale about the deep connections between soulmates, and between those sensitive souls who feel tied to nature in all her forms.
Their sailboat, Amphitrite was home; their livelihood, fish they caught and sold ashore; Annie was schooled there; the family was intimate with the ocean. But while visiting Ruth, and trying out school at Hale’s Landing, Annie encounters Evan Hale, heir to a lucrative logging business, grieving the loss of his mother.
Romance blooms from their childhood friendship, and a party in the hills with Evan is the reason that Annie, at twenty, is not aboard Amphitrite when a magnitude 9 offshore quake triggers a devastating tsunami. Ruth and her cottage at Hale’s Landing still stand, and it’s there Annie takes refuge, waiting, hoping.
The destruction is extensive. As a registered nurse, Ruth provides first aid to the isolated community. Scavenging for food on the beach, Annie comes across a naked man who loses consciousness. She assumes is a survivor in need of help, but he seems to emit a hum only she can hear. Watched over in Ruth’s cabin, she feels a deep connection to the man she calls Walker.
But what about Evan? How can she reconcile the depth of feeling she has for each man? When walker is suddenly gone, it’s Evan who is her safety net. Six years on, Annie is leading a much more conventional life than the way she grew up until, suddenly that hum is back…
Kelly Anderson’s impressive debut has a touch of the paranormal and is a moving and mysterious tale about the deep connections between soulmates, and between those sensitive souls who feel tied to nature in all her forms.
September 7, 2026
Im confused, is she a whale? Was her mom? Walker? I clearly don’t know how to connect this foreshadowing/riddles these people were talking in.
August 28, 2026
🌊 Загледани в безкрайността на океана, замисляли ли сте се някога какви тайни се крият в неговите дълбини? Там, където плуват морските обитатели и където човек трудно може да стигне. Тази водна мистерия е предпоставка да започнат да се разпространяват митове за морски създания и песента, която пеят, стига да можеш да я чуеш. Това е основната нишка в романа "Песента на дълбините" от Кели Андерсън на издателство Хермес.
⛵ Книгата започва мистериозно и пресъздава живота на лодка, която пори сините вълни на океана. Мара и Ейдън са младо семейство, което предпочита да живее в открито море и отглеждат своята дъщеря Ани на борда на лодката. Този номадски живот е свободен, щастлив и безгрижен за самото дете. Картините от този начин на живот са пъстри, цветни, плажни и морски.
⚓ Всичко това се променя с израстването на Ани и нейния най-добър приятел Евън на брега, който я посреща всяко лято. До фаталното земетресение цветовете са ярки, но след опустошението, тоновете се свиват до тъмно, сиво и мрачно. Това е границата, която поставя край на морския живот за Ани. Тя е разкъсана между най-добрия си приятел и момчето, което морето изхвърля на брега. Между сушата и морето.
🌊 Ще мине време, преди Ани да осъзнае, че животът, в който е потънала, не е за нея. Океанът пее своята песен и я зове обратно към своите дълбини.
🌿 Авторката има образен език и напомня на читателите, че трябва да пазят природата. Жанрът на книгата е магически реализъм. В началото ми тръгна много интересно, поддържаше се една загадъчност и любопитство какво следва. От средата нататък напрежението започна да спада и темпото стана равно. Ани загуби своя блясък и се затвори в себе си. Искаше ми се да я разтърся, за да се събуди и да реши какво иска накрая.
🤍 Евън колкото не ми допадна в началото, толкова започнах да го харесвам с напредването на действието. Неговата грижовност и това, че беше до Ани през цялото време допаднаха на моята романтична страна.
✨ Останалите герои бяха колоритни и пълнокръвни, сюжетната идея - интересна, въпреки монотонното действие в средата. Струва си да се потопим в драмата на тази книга, за да преоткрием красотата и мистерията на природата.
⛵ Книгата започва мистериозно и пресъздава живота на лодка, която пори сините вълни на океана. Мара и Ейдън са младо семейство, което предпочита да живее в открито море и отглеждат своята дъщеря Ани на борда на лодката. Този номадски живот е свободен, щастлив и безгрижен за самото дете. Картините от този начин на живот са пъстри, цветни, плажни и морски.
⚓ Всичко това се променя с израстването на Ани и нейния най-добър приятел Евън на брега, който я посреща всяко лято. До фаталното земетресение цветовете са ярки, но след опустошението, тоновете се свиват до тъмно, сиво и мрачно. Това е границата, която поставя край на морския живот за Ани. Тя е разкъсана между най-добрия си приятел и момчето, което морето изхвърля на брега. Между сушата и морето.
🌊 Ще мине време, преди Ани да осъзнае, че животът, в който е потънала, не е за нея. Океанът пее своята песен и я зове обратно към своите дълбини.
🌿 Авторката има образен език и напомня на читателите, че трябва да пазят природата. Жанрът на книгата е магически реализъм. В началото ми тръгна много интересно, поддържаше се една загадъчност и любопитство какво следва. От средата нататък напрежението започна да спада и темпото стана равно. Ани загуби своя блясък и се затвори в себе си. Искаше ми се да я разтърся, за да се събуди и да реши какво иска накрая.
🤍 Евън колкото не ми допадна в началото, толкова започнах да го харесвам с напредването на действието. Неговата грижовност и това, че беше до Ани през цялото време допаднаха на моята романтична страна.
✨ Останалите герои бяха колоритни и пълнокръвни, сюжетната идея - интересна, въпреки монотонното действие в средата. Струва си да се потопим в драмата на тази книга, за да преоткрием красотата и мистерията на природата.
July 27, 2026
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗦
Annie MacLeod had an unusual upbringing. She spent the majority of her first 18 years on a sailboat in the Pacific Northwest with her parents. Her father, trained as a physician, left his career when he found Mara, Annie’s mother, naked and stranded on an island decades ago and they took to the sea.
For Mara was called to the ocean.
But now, a tsunami has destroyed the small community where Annie was staying with her grandmother, and her parents are likely dead.
Evan, Annie’s best friend since childhood and steadfast love is there to help her put the shattered pieces of her life back together.
But then, one morning Annie finds a naked man walking on the beach. Called Walker, he has an undeniable pull that Annie can’t resist.
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦
Wow. I devoured this one.
Unsure what to expect, but knowing there was some magical realism woven into the story, I was wary, but this magic is subtle and mostly left to the reader’s imagination.
I understood where this was going early on but that took nothing away from the journey, which covers nearly 30 years of Annie’s life.
Evan is introduced as a wounded little boy who comes into his own growing up on the boat with Annie and seems the perfect match, and yet Walker has an undeniable and unexplained connection with Annie as well.
But it’s not a romance, though there are some elements, it’s so much more.
𝗩𝗜𝗕𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗞
It’s compared to Wild Dark Shore and I can’t think of any better. The ocean, the strange and unexpected visitors, the atmospheric writing.
𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗗
I can’t imagine this not being enjoyed by anyone who enjoys a character driven story that is part mystery, part coming of age, part ethereal oceanic fairy tale.
Annie MacLeod had an unusual upbringing. She spent the majority of her first 18 years on a sailboat in the Pacific Northwest with her parents. Her father, trained as a physician, left his career when he found Mara, Annie’s mother, naked and stranded on an island decades ago and they took to the sea.
For Mara was called to the ocean.
But now, a tsunami has destroyed the small community where Annie was staying with her grandmother, and her parents are likely dead.
Evan, Annie’s best friend since childhood and steadfast love is there to help her put the shattered pieces of her life back together.
But then, one morning Annie finds a naked man walking on the beach. Called Walker, he has an undeniable pull that Annie can’t resist.
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦
Wow. I devoured this one.
Unsure what to expect, but knowing there was some magical realism woven into the story, I was wary, but this magic is subtle and mostly left to the reader’s imagination.
I understood where this was going early on but that took nothing away from the journey, which covers nearly 30 years of Annie’s life.
Evan is introduced as a wounded little boy who comes into his own growing up on the boat with Annie and seems the perfect match, and yet Walker has an undeniable and unexplained connection with Annie as well.
But it’s not a romance, though there are some elements, it’s so much more.
𝗩𝗜𝗕𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗞
It’s compared to Wild Dark Shore and I can’t think of any better. The ocean, the strange and unexpected visitors, the atmospheric writing.
𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗗
I can’t imagine this not being enjoyed by anyone who enjoys a character driven story that is part mystery, part coming of age, part ethereal oceanic fairy tale.
November 22, 2025
This was a beautiful read that pulled me in from the first page, and from there I couldn’t put it down. It balances romance and mystery perfectly, and I felt totally immersed in another world. I’m grateful to have been able to read an advance copy and would highly recommend!
August 16, 2026
Ако Ви се чете нещо в духа на “Където пеят раците”, този роман ще Ви развълнува.
“Все пак всичко можеше да бъде отнето за миг, независимо колко дълго си се подготвял или притеснявал за това.”
“Все пак всичко можеше да бъде отнето за миг, независимо колко дълго си се подготвял или притеснявал за това.”
September 23, 2026
2.5⭐️
Unfortunately, the writing style and format weren’t quite my cup of tea. They just didn’t resonate with me personally. I did finish it though, so there’s that!
Unfortunately, the writing style and format weren’t quite my cup of tea. They just didn’t resonate with me personally. I did finish it though, so there’s that!
September 3, 2026
This book started off strong, but then left me in a ball of confusion.
IS SHE A MERMAID?
IS SHE A WHALE?
IS SHE DEAD?
DID SHE HALLUCINATE THE ENTIRE OCEAN?
DID I HALLUCINATE READING THIS BOOK?????
I kept waiting for the big reveal. It did not arrive.
Two stars. One for the writing, and one for the fact that I finished the damn thing.
If anyone needs me, I’ll be daydreaming and wondering whether I am secretly a whale.
IS SHE A MERMAID?
IS SHE A WHALE?
IS SHE DEAD?
DID SHE HALLUCINATE THE ENTIRE OCEAN?
DID I HALLUCINATE READING THIS BOOK?????
I kept waiting for the big reveal. It did not arrive.
Two stars. One for the writing, and one for the fact that I finished the damn thing.
If anyone needs me, I’ll be daydreaming and wondering whether I am secretly a whale.
August 28, 2026
3.5/5
Thank you to HTP Books, the Hive, and the author for the gifted finished copy of this book!
Told in our protagonist, Annie's third-person pov, this book felt like entering an immersive magical atmosphere, with an indescribable pull towards the ocean. The book is split into five main sections, corresponding to different phases of a tide, although the actual story is told in 'Before' and 'After' of the pivotal event that claims the lives of Annie's parents.
As far as the plot goes, it was an intriguing blend of literary fiction, romance, and magical realism. Annie is a unique character to be in the mind of, and I feel like the book did a good job straddling the line between her coping with grief while also getting attached to the stranger washed up on the beach. However, somewhere in the second half, I felt the book lose its momentum which made it tough to keep going. To add to that, while the ending solved a neat little mystery that was hinted at throughout the story, it also felt rushed in its execution. Somehow, despite the poetic writing and lush descriptions, didn't feel invested in these characters.
All in all, I think the writing and characters deserve praise, and I'd love to read future works by this author. This one felt like a love letter to the seas and oceans and the animals who call them home, and might leave the reader with a gentle feeling of childhood nostalgia and the urge to chase those wild dreams.
Thank you to HTP Books, the Hive, and the author for the gifted finished copy of this book!
Told in our protagonist, Annie's third-person pov, this book felt like entering an immersive magical atmosphere, with an indescribable pull towards the ocean. The book is split into five main sections, corresponding to different phases of a tide, although the actual story is told in 'Before' and 'After' of the pivotal event that claims the lives of Annie's parents.
As far as the plot goes, it was an intriguing blend of literary fiction, romance, and magical realism. Annie is a unique character to be in the mind of, and I feel like the book did a good job straddling the line between her coping with grief while also getting attached to the stranger washed up on the beach. However, somewhere in the second half, I felt the book lose its momentum which made it tough to keep going. To add to that, while the ending solved a neat little mystery that was hinted at throughout the story, it also felt rushed in its execution. Somehow, despite the poetic writing and lush descriptions, didn't feel invested in these characters.
All in all, I think the writing and characters deserve praise, and I'd love to read future works by this author. This one felt like a love letter to the seas and oceans and the animals who call them home, and might leave the reader with a gentle feeling of childhood nostalgia and the urge to chase those wild dreams.
July 20, 2026
I’m sorry to say this one didn’t work for me…I had started reading it and put it down for a week and decided to start it over again to give it a fair shot since I wasn’t in the head space to concentrate when I started it.
Annie grew up on a sailboat with her parents. When a tsunami destroys her coastal town and wipes away everything she’s ever known, she’s at a crossroads. While the tsunami swept away her parents, it swept in a handsome stranger on the beach. As Annie gets to know him, she finds herself caught between her first love and this stranger. This stranger makes her confront who she truly is, and discovers that despite her fear of the ocean following the tsunami, it seems to be calling to her through this stranger.
I am not sure what the truth is about this story and I just struggled to connect with it. This story is clearly more than a love triangle, but to me that was the most interesting part. But I feel like the true message was Annie’s connection and pull to the ocean. I felt that was lost and muddled with everything else going on.
I just struggled to connect and this one wasn’t for me.
Annie grew up on a sailboat with her parents. When a tsunami destroys her coastal town and wipes away everything she’s ever known, she’s at a crossroads. While the tsunami swept away her parents, it swept in a handsome stranger on the beach. As Annie gets to know him, she finds herself caught between her first love and this stranger. This stranger makes her confront who she truly is, and discovers that despite her fear of the ocean following the tsunami, it seems to be calling to her through this stranger.
I am not sure what the truth is about this story and I just struggled to connect with it. This story is clearly more than a love triangle, but to me that was the most interesting part. But I feel like the true message was Annie’s connection and pull to the ocean. I felt that was lost and muddled with everything else going on.
I just struggled to connect and this one wasn’t for me.
February 10, 2026
Described as fantasy, this story was so much more than that...mystery, romance, young love, true love, family, our connection to the environment...all so perfectly balanced and real. It was heartwarming and heart wrenching at the same time. So beautifully written and so compelling that I couldn't put it down and it left me immediately wanting more once finished. It left me with that warm glow that only a superb read can for days afterwards. I’m grateful to have been able to read an advance copy and cannot tell you enough how much I highly recommend it!
April 12, 2026
Thanks Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced digital copy. These are the type of stories that I adore. Mostly realistic fiction, with a lot of heart, and a sprinkling of fantasy. I didn't want it to end.
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