A Mermaid's Ransom

Daughters of Arianne #3

by Joey W. Hill

Growing up the daughter of a famous mermaid and the second in command of the angelic legions can put a lot of pressure on a girl. Though she loves her parents, Alexis has chosen to live among humans as an ordinary college girl, but she can’t hide the tranquil aura of angelic light and empathic ability that draws people to her. Unfortunately, while it draws men to her, none of them are willing to cross the line to find her true heart and soul – or even give her a decently passionate kiss. That is, until she begins to dream of a male trapped in fire and rage, who wants her so badly he’ll tear the universe apart to have her.

However, while all she can feel is his pain and suffering, and a yearning to heal him, Dante sees her as the way to his freedom. He thinks he’s willing to destroy her to accomplish that, but once he kidnaps her into his world and is confronted with the girl who is the opposite of everything he’s ever known, he starts to wonder if his freedom is as important as keeping her by his side.

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Angels, Erotica, Mermaids

401 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 13, 2009

About the author

"BDSM Romance for the Heart & Soul"

A submissive herself, Hill brings authenticity to her intensely emotional BDSM love stories. With over fifty titles and seven series, her contemporary and paranormal romances feature everything from billionaires, bikers, SEALs, firefighters, cops and housemaids, to vampires, mermaids, witches and angels.

"Joey translates the world of BDSM with such intense power and exquisite beauty. LOVE is the most powerful element entwined through the Dominance and submission.” –Goodreads, Pink Lady

Joey is the recipient of the RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for Erotic Romance, and she loves to hear from her readers!

If you're on Bookbub, she'd love for you to follow her:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/joey-...

You can also find her here:
Website: storywitch.com
Facebook: @JoeyWHillAuthor
MeWe: mewe.com/i/joeywhill
Twitter: @JoeyWHill

Reviews

[Lynsey A]

If someone is looking to read about a dark character who struggles to find the light this is the read for you. For me, the darkness in Dante was hard to overcome. At times he seemed reedemable but at other times I had my doubts. There were times his actions were so dark it was hard to see him as a hero. There were moments when he would protect Alexis but the other moments of darkness overshadowed this for me.

Having stated this however, Dante was a product of his environment. Growing up in The Dark One world he only knew it took killing and sacrifice to survive. He didn't see what he was doing was wrong because it was all he knew.

Dante has to overcome a lifetime of killing and seeing every move as a threat. When he's brought into the human world he begins to see things differently through Alexis.

Warning: this book contained two sex scenes that seemed a bit like rape to me. In both scenes Alexis was in pain. One was early in the book, while still in the Dark One world, the other was later in the human world.

This read was the same as the first two in the Arianne series; I thought I would enjoy the books more than I did. The book wasn't a bad read. I just didn't feel a deep connection to Alexis or Dante. Their love didn't pull at my heart. Perhaps it was the two scenes mentioned above but something just wasn't there for me.

***SPOILER***

Also, something near the end left me usatisfied with their HEA. Dante is told by those whose females were sacrificed by him in the The Dark One world, "Because all worlds are just, it is when you love her the most that Fate will take her from you,..." I like my romances to have a forever HEA. :-)

[Gigi]

There is a scene in this book that makes it a 5 star for me. Dante is what made this book great, I wanted to see his soul, the bad sides of him and all the hurt. I wished there was more of it in the book. Alexis is great I love when a female character does something I would do like hang on tight and not let Dante go.Dante a vampire that never really filled out his dominant nature still manages to get Alexis to submit and third marks her. She then collars him which was shocking to me but I loved they way he only submitted to her when he really wanted to scorch the world. I felt so bad for him even though he did some bad things to survive. Joey W. Hill brings that suject to the forefront in this book...can you love someone that does a lot of bad things in his/her life? Joey W Hill really has a way to communicate through her characters good vs. evil and gets to the soul of the issue in a smart way.

Dante trying to exist in her world was nice to read. The facepainting was sweet and touching. Alexis really was heartbreaking when she knew she would be hurt but continued to defend him in all ways her belief in him was something I appreciated in her. Dante is so sexy when feeding her and I love his vampire nature. Alyssa and Jacob make an appearance which was great.

There are some parts in this book that weren't as serious or just corny but I was able to overlook them because the main story was strong. Just a note on Jonah, he was great as the father figure it suits him well and makes him that much sexier. I really enjoyed this series and we have so much still to learn about Dante I wish it would continue.

[Bookaholics]

A Mermaid's Ransom by Joey W. Hill
Paranormal Romance- Dec 1, 2009
4 ½ stars


Joey Hill has out done herself with the third installment in her mermaid series. This daring book explores the dark side of human nature. What is really evil?

In her latest book, Alexis (the daughter of the angel Jonah and the mermaid Anna) has always kept herself slightly apart because her power to feel other’s emotions can be overwhelming. When she begins to have erotic dreams of a mysterious and sensuous lover she is troubled but not worried. Unfortunately, Alexis does not realize she is part of magical spell of binding. The man of her dreams is actually real and part of an evil world where there is only death and despair. During one of her dreams Alexis suddenly finds herself transported to the Dark One world where she finds herself a hostage.

Dante has dreamed of this moment. His spell has worked and the goddaughter of the witch who trapped him here will finally do his bidding. Dante plans to use Alexis as leverage in an attempt to get the witch to open the doorway into his mother’s world. A world of freedom from the Dark One world. Dante is half vampire and half Dark One and as such is feared innately evil. To survive in this harsh work he has killed and sacrificed. When his vampire mother was brought to this world, she was raped and grew pregnant with him. Both were unable to escape. Dante has had to: beg, scrape and terrorize to gain his independence in a world that only respects violence and cruelty. To survive he has had to be cunning and brutal. When his mother finally went insane and died, Dante only had the cherished stories of her world and vowed to find his way there no matter the cost. But when Dante transports Alexis into his world her beauty and gentle nature make him feel emotions he has never felt before. With Alexis he finds there is another side to life, one that scares as well as enthralls him. As he reaches for the world that was stolen from him he must come to grips with his past of violence. One which he realizes Alexis has no part of.

This was a thrilling read from start to finish as I was quickly drawn in the powerful relationship between Dante and Alexis. Each needed each other to realize their full potential. Alexis may be gentle and caring but she in extremely understanding with her empathetic skills. She is the ideal person to accept Dante’s special individuality as she guides him in this new world. Her courage and fortitude as she stands up and stands beside Dante are inspiring. As Dante grows and realizes the new world he has claimed is not easily mastered I was fascinated with his odd mix of: shrewdness, naivety and ability to work through his troubled past. Dante is the most darkly charismatic hero I have ever read. Even as I was repelled by his past I was enthralled by his compelling nature. His drive to change himself and make sense of his new world was transforming and mesmerizing to read.

I really feel Mermaid’s Ransom pushes the envelope. For anyone who is bored with the typical romance and loves the paranormal, this is a book you will not soon forget. It is both edgy and magical. I would not recommend it for readers who enjoy light romances. The scenes between Dante and Alexis are sexually charged and the many characters are not cut and dried. Dante’s struggle to make sense of his new world and redeem himself with the help of Alexis was gripping and intense. And Dante’s history of violence and torment do not make him an easy hero to read. As he fights against his dark and dominant nature there is very real angst and emotion. This is a memorable book that I found difficult to let go!

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

[Oleta Blaylock]

I am not sure what I can say about this book that I haven’t already said about most of Joey W. Hill’s work. She is one of my favorite authors and each book is unique and precious. Each work is a look into the human soul. This book is certainly no different.

Ms. Hill has written a number of books about forgiveness and redemption, of light over coming darkness, of good triumphing over evil. This book is all of that and more. In the beginning of the story Dante isn’t that likable. He is a product of the environment that he has lived in for 60 years. The world that his mother was dragged into and raped which brings a child into an existence that no one should have to endure. When Dante finds Alexis he begins to change. Her light and empathy show him that there are positive emotions and a place that he doesn’t have to be on guard twenty-four hours a day. These two learn so much about each other.

I will say that I cried through most of the last few chapters. Alexi and Dante learn so much about each other through the story. Dante comes to understand the meaning of love and commitment and Alexi learns that love doesn't always conquer all.

This is story is set in both the Mermaid series and the Vampire Queen series. This story is during the time that Lyssa lost her vampire powers while she was pregnant. It was wonderful to see both Jacob and Lyssa as well as Kane, their son. Dante gets some sense of his mother and who she was. It is a little sad that she wasn't a strong personality, like Lady Lyssa. It may have helped her give her son some of the things he need to survive in such a terrible environment.

I loved Jonah and Anna’s story and their daughter’s is just as emotional and fulfilling as the original. It made me cry for several chapters. I wanted to scream at the characters and tell them that they were being idiots. I want to wrap Alexis is warmth and compassion for what she was so determined to do when no one else believes in what she sees in Dante. It is too bad that more people don’t read these stories and this author. She has a marvelous talent and deserve all the praise and admiration that her fans give her.

[Ashley]

A MERMAID'S RANSOM is not an easy read by any means but it is perhaps the lightest of the three series installments in Joey W. Hill's Daughters of Arianne Series. I don't mean that it's light in tone because that's certainly not the case, instead, the lightness I'm describing can be contributed entirely to the heroine, Alexis. She is perhaps the most human of all the series characters and her sarcastic wit isn't acerbic but funny and comforting and therefore she becomes a much needed breath of relief. Like a comical relief moment in a dark drama, Alexis provides a tension release moment where the reader can take a breath and process the dark and gruesome undertone of the novel. In addition, her tangible humanity makes her very easy to relate to and her all encompassing love reaches out to the reader and provides comfort for the rocky journey ahead with these two amazing but radically different characters. In short, Alexis provides a very necessary balance of light to what could have otherwise been a dark and horrifying read.

A rare being known as a mer-angel, Alexis inherited the angel and mermaid traits of her parents, Jonah and Anna, the hero and heroine of series installment one - A MERMAID'S KISS. You can see a beautiful reflection of Alexis's unique form on the novel's cover. In addition, like all the Daughters of Arianne that have come before her, Alexis has the ability to shift from her mer-angel form to human. And while her beauty is an inevitable draw, its Alexis's angelic aura and her undeniable essence of goodness that both draws and repels people making for a lonely existence. Lastly, she's been gifted and cursed with a strong empathic ability that requires learned and fortified filters to keep her from being completely bombarded by the emotions of others. If left unchecked or in moments of great stress, Alexis can be rendered nearly catatonic by the emotional pressure. However, this gift proves invaluable when it comes to the hero who would have otherwise never been given chance.

For sixty some odd years, Dante has been trapped in the gruesome landscape of the Dark One world. Known as a Dark Spawn, Dante's vampire mother was captured, tormented and raped repeatedly by Dark Ones. She conceived, birthed, and guided Dante as best she could, all the while being chained and abused until her mind, crippled from the abuse, gave out and she imparted the last of her soul's memory to Dante. Living his life in fear and as a scavenger, Dante was a repeated mark to torment by the Dark Ones. Beaten and sodomized within an inch of his life on a regular basis, Dante learned that in order to survive one had to do it by any means necessary. The Dark One world revolves around death and destruction where the weak is preyed upon and the strong become powerful through fear and violence. This was the environment that Dante was born in, matured in and eventually, through a will of iron - ruled.

After the epic Mountain Battle, Mina - Dark Spawn and heroine of A WITCH'S BEAUTY - destroyed the rifts that allowed the passage of Dark Ones to Earth and thus eternally closing the window that Dante had to the world he should have been born into. For twenty years he's maimed, killed and learned the magical skills to dominate and rule the Dark One world. Breathing solely to find a way to escape, Dante infiltrates Alexis's dreams and binds her to him with with his vampire nature. Pulling her through a blood-soaked dream portal, Dante captures Alexis with the plan to ransom her for his release from the Dark One world. However, he didn't plan on the impact the little mer-angel would have on a heart he never knew he possessed.

Dante is a highly unconventional hero. Hell, it can even be argued that he isn't a hero at all. He's a deep dark festering pit of rage and violence. A being of no morals and no idea of right verses wrong. There is only survival and it's key for the reader to be reminded time and again of the environment that he was born into for it has molded his soul almost exclusively with darkness. Alexis, the only being that can truly sense the state of Dante's emotions, is his only champion. Deep within him she glimpses a flame of light that has surprisingly been nourished and protected with little to no guidance. Alexis sees his potential and she also feels very strongly a deep-seeded bond that resonates within her own soul as well as Dante's. This light is the only thing that saves Dante not only from Alexis's powerful family but from reader rejection as well. Dante is not a good person and he proves this time and again but with the help of Alexis, the reader finds the desire to believe along with her that Dante can be good. That he has all the tools to better himself, he just needs a guide.

In all honesty, Dante will not be for everyone. His sociopathic tendencies and deadly quick temper could put a damper on reader enjoyment. In my opinion, Hill did an excellent job reminding the reader on a consistent basis that Dante's life has been unconventional to say the least. The reader can't necessarily expect him to know and understand morals and values that we take for granted while living in our modern and civilized society. It's also very evident that Dante's road to his soul's salvation is no where near complete by the end of the novel. While he knows that Alexis loves him, he can't say with all honesty that he loves her. He wants to love her very desperately but he hasn't yet come to fully understand the concept. He's never known love so how can he be able recognize it within his own heart?

This novel would never have worked without Alexis. She's a pure and loving soul and was probably a joy to write because she's so forthcoming. Her heart is worn boldly on her sleeve and she's incredibly strong in both mind and spirit. It's because of this that I fear that like Jonah, her father, I can't necessarily say that Dante deserved her but I'm happy he has her. He'd certainly be lost without her and more than likely dead. Thankfully that was a lesson that Dante did learn. He knows that Alexis deserves more and I truly think he'll strive his damnedest to provide for her exactly what she needs.

I'll admit that I grappled endlessly with my rating of this novel. Dante's evolution from a violent murderer and kidnapper to a being of workable restraint was amazing but his journey is no where near complete. The crimes that he has been called to pay for are horrendously steep and it's very possible that he'll never atone for the wrongs he's committed. Knowing all this, I couldn't shake the feeling that the Happily Ever After was bittersweet and more than a little heartbreaking. So much growth is still needed that I feel the ending was more of a beginning for Dante and Alexis with an outcome that may never be attained. However, after reading the end again I feel that there really can be no other way. That to change anything would have been a great disservice to all the progress made thus far and I've therefore come to respect and ultimately appreciate Hill's end decision.

A MERMAID'S RANSOM is a controversial read in more ways then one. Some will hate it and others will love it with few in between. With regards to my own personal experience, I happened to love it.

[Ash]

I struggled between 1 or 2 stars for this one. I was very disappointed- the story started off so strong but the book really dragged and the resolution to the final conflict was dissatisfying. I skimmed the last 25 pages and considered DNFing.

[Leontine]

Sometimes a story by Joey W Hill takes time to drawn you in and at other times I'm sucked in from page one. A Mermaid's Ransom is the former one. While Dante captured my attention from the first page the story itself and Alexis needed quite some chapters to have me fully invested.

I absolutely adored the badness in Dante and his efforts to understand the human world. His temper and his complexity made for such an interesting personality. It countered the inate goodness of Alexis whom I found too nice at times. Together however they created such a fantastic dynamic which made their dialogues going from endearing to steamy sensual.

The eroticism is up to par with what I'm used to get from Joey W Hill. It reads like verbal viagra, though I would love for this author to venture in to different kind of ways to explore the characters sexuality. Or perhaps this is due to the fact I've read my fair share of erotic romances which resulted in certain positions becoming normal.

What I thought was cleverly done is the integration of the vampire world in the Daughters of Ariana series. The encounter between Lady Lyssa and Mina was one I enjoyed from start to finish! From this point on I was more invested in the storyline and was intrigued by its possibilities.

With the final chapters the romance crescent in to a satisfying high but I also wonder if their are more stories to come for Alexis and Dante. It seemed more of a beginning for them and the journey ahead one filled with challenges. I hope Joey W Hill can further explore their journey in her vampire series. Like Lyssa and Jacob, whose story is told in three books and counting.

Like always, Joey W Hill, has used her incredible writing skills to give characters of depth, searing eroticism and a story to sink your teeth in!

[Camille-Dhark Nytmhare]

As long as the authors name is Joey hill I know I am in for a treat. The Mermaid series was my first intro to Joey Hill's writing. I have yet to find a story of hers that is less than fabo! This book maintains that record.

Dante is a scary motherhubbard. He is as rare a being as Mina's dark spawn mermaid witch character. Born in hell, Dante is a dark spawn vampire who can't leave hell until someone says his real name. We also have Alexis who is a sweet innocent angelic baby girl who is about to fuck around with a devil's spawn who is, I repeat, scary beyond f'in belief.

This story is by far the darkest story. It's premise is more hopeless than Mina's story.The brutal violence and horror is made more intense at the thought that our pure angel Alexis being basted in the horror juices. The extreme contrasts make for an exciting story. Dare I say epic fantasy at it's best!

I read another review that best describe this story as more than erotica and more than fantasy. I would even call it erotic literature. It is in a class by itself and I am glad to have taken the journey. To me Ms. Hill sets the standard for erotic fantasy novels.

[Pepito]

I just can't believe how silly I was! I thought this was the first book of the series and I read it without realizing it right until the end. L.A.M.E. of me, lol. The good thing is you can definitely read this book as a stand alone, no need to read the rest of them before this one. As a rule I never have done this, I ALWAYS read series in order, this was an exception that should have never happened.

I had a great time reading this book. I loved the novelty about this uncommon and strange species. I can't rate it any higher because I never clicked with the main characters. I just hate week heroines. But the rest was great. I will definitely be reading the rest of the books, although I wont go running to get them. I probably should have read them in order, maybe things would be different.

[Cindyg]

I wish I could rate this book higher than 5 stars, it is so damn good. Joey Hill is one awesome writer and story teller. I absolutely loved this series and highly recommend to anyone who loves books that are highly emotionally charged. I cried reading this one and I normally don't cry when I read, so that just goes to show how much this one moved me. I loved, loved, loved Dante and Lex. I loved Jonah and Anna in the first book of the series and cried when I was reading it. Mina and David's story was just as good. I can't say it enough, go and get this series, read it, you'll be glad you did.
Thanks to Joey for this wonderful world she has created.

[Myst]

Yuck, there's a rape scene & then he turns into her lover. Drooppedd.

[Layla Omorose]

Ok so it took me a while to actually pick this book up and start reading it but once I did I was not able to put it down and by the time I finished I wanted to go out and buy the first two books in the series. The characters Dante and Alexis were very well developed. The plot progression was good though at one point in the book it felt like it was at a stand still. There was a lot and I mean a lot of sex in this book, so like I have said before if you are not into graphic love scenes you might be offended and think the book is raunchy. The sex scenes amused me after a while because they reminded me of horny rabbits. But then again if my man looked like Dante then I guess we would be at it like rabbits to. Though to be honest one of my favorite characters was David, who is Alexis Uncle. He was the ever steady calm in the book. And it also seems that this book intertwines with Hill's Vampire Queen series, which has me thinking that maybe I should read this series too and not care that it is in first person. Though most of the book was good there were parts where it became slow and lagging. Even though I liked the sex scenes they became a little much after while and interfering with the plot of the story. Then it seemed that all that was between them was the sex but soon the characters recovered and showed that there was more between them than hot sex. Dante and Alexis are two characters that even by the end of the story hadn't full dealt with their issues but they were working towards it. Which makes sense Dante doesn't know anything about love or being happy it would take either a much longer book or multiple books for him to begin to understand or comprehend what love is. Alexis has her own issues with establishing herself as a competent woman/mermaid/angel and by the end of the book she had begun to separate from her parents and become her own women. So needless to say these characters may have come a long way in their book but they still have a long way to go. Which is a good thing in my opinion because it shows real life time.

However I wonder if Hill plans on writing another book after this one that focuses on Clare and the wounded Angel that began to show attraction to each other in the book. Now that is a book I want to read because I want to know more about Clare. So with that being said this review is over. I know it is kind of short but I don't want to give away any spoilers.

[Joanne Beatrice]

I'm Aliiiiiiive!!! *insert Mushu GIF being awakened here* So total radio silence since my last actual sit-down-to-read-a-book, 2 years really went by fast (the pandemic and going thru a death in the family during those times). Truly, healing is a process and our H here, Dante, has a long long way to go, and it's a bit good that I did see some improvements with his character by near the end, the overall story of our first characters' daughter, Alexis, here juuuust about fell flat.

1st star - the first 1/4 of the book was hard for me to read (just cuz the setting wasn't my cup of tea at the time), the steamy scenes felt dry (literally, like Dante don't know how to get down and do foreplay? or is Alexis just about WET every f@cki*ng time???). still a kudos to the author since i just found out how i appreciated Anna and Jonah's journey from the first book, which glaringly made this book fall short of a star.

2nd star - truthfully read this part of the trilogy just cuz the concept of having a mer-angel MC sounded rad, and that just stops it for me with the story. I get that Alexis is an Empath, making the "fight" mostly about feeling, but i failed to relate with her overall. Also for our male lead Dante, hell if i thought Jonah was broody in his book, talk about Mr. Vampire Blues with this one! yes I get the horrifying hardship he's been thru without the author touching it in detail, but I just did not like how he treated Alexis for the most part of this book! granted we're reading from h's perspective talking about "his light", but even then i had my qualms HOW he would redeem himself exactly. and annoyingly enough, the vampire part of his lineage was treated like a throwaway which we barely see him talk about once it's over. So really, this second star belongs to the side characters, seeing Jonah being a hot, protective dada, and i actually lived for the Mina scenes cuz her dialogues were just wickedly relatable (granted i did not read her book, because i couldn't bring myself to have the patience to deal with the angst that'll come along with that, forsure)

And so hopefully, I'll start picking up where i left off with my TBR list and may the next series i start with not make my eyes roll with its dreadfully dry steamy scenes, at the very least.

[Smut Report]

We read all books in the series and reviewed them together. This review is also available at A Mermaid's Kiss and A Witch's Beauty , and our full review can be read at The Smut Report.

Heat Factor: There’s lotsa sex. Some of it is sexy. Some of it is wild. Some of it is BDSMy. And some of it is completely bonkers.

Character Chemistry: My female essence submits to your male energy.

Plot: A girl with a fish tail and a guy with wings hang out, do some traveling, and engage in an epic battle against the forces of evil.

Overall: If you’re in the mood for bonkers morality-chain paranormal romance, then these books are wildly entertaining. With a lot of caveats.

It’s twenty years later, and Anna and Jonah have a daughter who is a full-blown hottie with super empathy powers. Meet Alexis the Merangel. Yes, you read that right. She is a mermaid, but she also has angel wings. Dante the Dark Spawn Vampire kidnaps her through her dreams and brings her to the Dark One world so that Mina will let him out. Of course, all of our friends from the previous books are all set to kill Dante as soon as they bring him to earth, but Lex intervenes because she can sense the tiny spark of light in him and wants to rehabilitate her kidnapper. Plus he did some vampire stuff to bind her soul to his, so they can’t actually kill him without killing Lex too.

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[Luckylovesbooks]

June 16, 2021
DNF @ 8%
1/5 stars

Um… wtf did I just read?
At 8% there’s a rape scene. That’s right, a RAPE scene. I mean… am I reading the same book as everyone else? Most of the reviews don’t mention this AT ALL! How is this okay??

I’m not overreacting, I swear! Here:

“Anger, rage . . . revenge.
"Don't--wait--"
He shifted her body and with one powerful thrust, penetrated her.
His kiss had moistened her enough that he'd been able to get his broad head in her gateway, but she'd never been taken before. The pain was immediate and excruciating, such that she cried out, but he wouldn't let her free. He held her on him, seated to the hilt in her body, his arms banded about her.
"It hurts . . . please stop. Please."
His breath rasped in her ear, a beast in mindless rut, and she struggled to get past the pain and panic of a pinned butterfly.”

“Gripping her buttocks again, he began to work her up and down his shaft. She whimpered at the abrasion of raw tissue, at his battering assault on her virginity.”

“…lips with a tentative caress, trying to dissipate the cold fear his violent assault had triggered. She had desired him. The edge of it was still there, waiting to be stoked to life by his touch. ‘It's a dream, Alexis. You weren't raped in real life. It was just a dream . . . And it wasn't rape. You wanted him, he wanted you’”.

She said no. He still pushed in. If this isn’t sexual assault, then pigs can fly and hell is a winter wonderland.
In no way shape or form is it okay to romanticize sexual assault.

Maybe in 2009 this was acceptable (wtf, why??) but 2021? HELL NO. NO
THIS. This is why I’m wary of reading older books. Issues regarding consent, coercion, safe sex and assault is glossed over.

[Miracle]

This plunges into the depths of dark monster romance, but it's a journey I found deeply unsettling and ultimately unenjoyable. This novel is steeped in themes that tread past edgy into the realm of the deeply disturbing. The continuous thread of violence, rape, and manipulation weaves a narrative that feels more like a relentless assault on the senses than a story.

The portrayal of subservientism and the troubling depictions of loose consent further sour the reading experience. These elements aren't just background noise; they are front and center, making it impossible to ignore or gloss over. It's a stark reminder that in the world of fiction, the boundary between the thrillingly taboo and the outright unacceptable is perilously thin.

Most disappointingly, the characters, who could have been the saving grace, are not at fault here. They are mere pawns in a narrative that seems to revel in their suffering and degradation. Instead, the real villain appears to be the author, who orchestrates this grim tableau. By choosing to focus on such extreme elements, the author not only overshadows any potential for a compelling story but also raises serious questions about the intent and impact of such storytelling.

In conclusion, this is a dark monster romance that left me more appalled than entertained. Its relentless dive into troubling themes without a semblance of sensitivity or nuance makes it a novel I would not recommend.

[R. Beach]

The last in this series was a minor disappointment for me. Dante was a very interesting character and one who lacked actual living outside the Dark One world to know right from wrong. The actions he took to escape his living hell though extreme and seeming unconscionable are what he'd learned throughout his life. He dragged Alexis into his world to finally make his escape and in the process became enamored with her. I won't say he loved her because obviously he didn't know what love was due to his life before.
Though I loved seeing all the characters from previous books this book dragged for me a bit especially at the end. I thought we'd see more action or interaction with other characters instead there was a TON of personal thoughts and dwelling on emotions on both sides that had me flipping pages to get to any type of interaction between the two of them. I honestly feel like the last 1/4 of the book could have been left off or rewritten into a condensed version. The ending left a lot to be desired for me so I gave this one a 4/5 although I'd really think it should have been a 3.5. Still it was a nice wrap up to this series and a surprise to see Jacob and Lyssa even though I wasn't aware this book came after she'd begun the Vampire Queen Series.

[Cheap and Lazy]

Super intense. Dante is such a tragic hero, probably the most imperfect I’ve ever read (while still holding my sympathy). How his feelings toward Alexis develop is insanely beautiful. Hot love scenes sprinkled throughout, but never dominate (although he, of course, is quite dominant). Alexis is a wonderful blend of great courage and vulnerability. Redemption via love is my favorite theme, and one of the main perks of romance reads is they often feature this (though few do it as well as Joey W. Hill). Cool to see Lyssa and Jacob (it’s been years since I read their story, but they are such a memorable couple). Also lots of Jonah and Anna, as well as David and Mina. The ending is HFN, but far from complete. I can only hope future books by the author will take place in this world and offer more glimpses of the future, as this is the last book in the trilogy. 5 stars > 4.5 (after a few days, still missing a more satisfying ending).

[Rebekah]

3.5 stars. This spicy story has mermaids, angels, vampires and witches so that automatically puts it a cut above 50 Shades of Grey in my book. I didn't realize it was the 3rd book of a series when I bought it but the previous titles were explained well enough. I was surprised a book of this type tackled such weighty topics as trauma, survival and redemption.

[Quiet~truths]

To start with, there were so many things in this book that I liked, no loved. However, there were so minor things that did peeve me off slightly. Pre warning btw, hope you guys don't mind they're gonna be quite a few Little Mermaid gifs hehehe



So, I read this book thinking it was the first one, and realising about a third of the way through. But, regardless I kept reading becasue it was one of those books that you can read as a standalone. Anyway, I loved the mermaid idea and the fact that she was a mer-angel. I thought that was pretty cool, especially considering I was more or less obsessed with mermaid's ever since watching Disney's The Little Mermaid.




I actually always have this weakness for heroes that are bad boy/tortured/imperfect/flawed. I just don't see the fun or joy in reading about a perfect hero. Which is annoying because authors always make the heroes really hot and physically attractive and perfect - inside and out. It was nice reading about Dante who was physically smokin' but inside was scarred. It was really interesting and I loved the storyline and watching Dante's progression. For me I thought it was pretty predictable, but nevertheless, predicatble can be good sometimes :)
As cliched as it is, imperfections are perfect and flaws only make me love a hero more :







From all of the mermaid books I've read, I always feel like there's something missing, or that the author just hasn't done it right. I can honestly say I had low expectations but I was so extremely pleasnatly surprised. I loved the characetr development and everything about this (well mostly). It was a book I easily fell in love with.




In terms of 'mostly' liking the book, I found some of the sex scenes a bit ewww, y'know. Like wash my self i feel dirty yuck. It was great and stuff at the beginning. Just the right amount of heat. But there was a (for me) pretty disturbing scene (but maybe it was just me, I'm not really used to reading that kind of stuff. Not my thang) Here it is: The bit near the end-ish when Alexis was taunting him with the image of the blonde lover she conjured to prove she wasn't his. It was the sex after that that was really crude and ugly. Especially the rear end of things -_- I mean be warned cuz I wish I had known. Skipped over it anyway. I just prefer to read a romance book, when it's not always too lusty cause I love the focus to be one, well, love. It was literally f****** like animals and I was like bleauauuauagg. But yep, read at ur own peril or leisure or whatever :) I had to admit I laughed quite a bit at that moment though, when she admitted the blonde guy was Leonardo DiCaprio. Good choice Alexis!

But yeah at that moment and when at times I felt Alexis was being a bit weak I was like this :






Aside from all that I can safely give A BIG THUMBS UP because the rest was frikkin' amazing!





Apart from that, Loved the book, very sweet and loved that there was so much depth to their relationship. It's definetly something you should read because it exceeds expectations and is really enjoyable and sweet :)

And this was me for the rest/whole of the book :












bet you can guess what my fav disney movie was lol.... :P

[T.]

A Mermaid's Ransom was an intricate and fascinating story that kept me up way too long last night. I enjoyed the first two books of the series, and this third book didn't disappoint. I love the worldbuilding and the complexity of the various characters. Another great read by Joey Hill.

[Emily Collins Engelbrecht]

A very good book can not put it down.
They really should make this into a movie . 👏🏼😊

[Jeff Jeff]

Haha. Imagining wings and a tail was a lot. But it was.. good. I liked dante and lex.

[Sophia Rose]

This is another "I read this again and again" book. The story is captivating, beautiful, and heals that part of you that just wants to save or be saved.

[Taylor Caitlin]

It's going to be a nope for me at 9%. Sexual assault is not sexy.

[Tanja]

think you've seen it all ???? think again!!!

this series is on a mission to blow your mind, have as many WTH moments and cry your eyes out !!!! it's on a high level, in it everything running high - sex, emotions, connections, stubbornness, determination, and loyalty.

a warning would be good for all you who are going to be reading it for the first time, read the first book from Joey's series Vampire Queen so you don't have many questions during the book, even she (Joey) does it right for those reading her for the first time!!

and on that note - yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey finally have it my way !!! a paranormal that I get - a vampire (got a tingly feeling on the back of my neck - must be all her vampires from before /if you meet them, you know what I mean LOL/) but even then I get knocked down with an mermaid-angel !!!! seriously .... I almost got along with all the stuff from before and then this ... always pulling one on you LOL

so, where to start ??? there is so many things that go on in the book, you need to focus on all cause each is important and explains itself or is useful in the end.
let's get started ...

why it's important to read the Vampire Queen series before is cause in it you will understand the bond between Dante and Alexis - later vampire and it's servant. what was fascinating how she subconsciously/unintentionally/and at the same time so sure and determent given herself to Dante to bond them together. but what I feel is that the bond was there all the time, just wasn't fully admitted by both of them for what it truly is and for what is there.

this here is also your typical story of a fathers daughter becoming and adult, taking her own life into his hands and knocking heads with her overprotective father. dad's are the most sensitive when it comes to their baby-girls but put it in this story ... you have a ticking time-bomb. Love the teasing and the sassing (someone finally putting Jonah down a peg). so you have your everyday story with and high level emotions, great risk and high stakes and of course, let's not forget magical beings. you get to see both sides of a child-parent relationship when being at a turning point with high stakes !!! loved eery minute of it cause I got to read about Jonah and Anna again and see how they matured into their love !!! Mina, my favorite witch of all time, is also in the story, and she gets to kick ass again and to sensible (shocking right !!! I know) and also give you a surprise that will knock you on the ass (like you ain't a on the floor already).

Maurcellus is a fun character in this one, he and Clara (love to see that snippet evolve *hint, **hint)

because of their rocky begging, through the story you have testing if the bond between Lexis and Dante is forced or subconscious or chemical due to the bond. testing each others feelings or more her testing his and he starting to know more to name the emotions and feelings within himself.

one of the most cute things in the book is Dante great knowledge and
at the same time wast "not-knowing". you get to see what it is to see and feel and taste world and that there is for the first time, and by someone who is blunt, direct to a point, and most of all determent. love that in some ways he is pure as a child and in others he is the #darkonce himself. talk about ups and downs

as all the characters from previous books come together in this one, you can notice a line forming, comparing the sacrifices of each couple and even different is more ways then one they all the same - do almost the unthinkable to prove the one you love that they are it and they are worth it.

hahah and in the end you get to witness that even and angel can be a brat !!! life doesn't get any better !!!!

love the book, recommend it from the heart, guarantee you will connect with it !!! own it !!!

[Jennifer]

Wow, I loved this third installment in Joey Hill's Mermaid series!! It is, however, different from the previous two and I'll get into why. The setting is twenty years from the previous two books, when the daughter of the angel, Jonah, and the mermaid, Anne, is 21 years old. She is a merangel, but prefers to live much of her time in the human world, having made a close human friend, Claire, and working as a volunteer in an aquarium for injured sea animals. She is ransomed by the half vampire, half Dark Spawn, Dante, who draws her into the Dark World, through a dream portal. Dante is no stranger to horror and sacrifice, having engaged in unending violence to keep himself alive ever since his abandonment here when his vampire mother died. He wants to get out desperately. Dante has known little kindness, but Lex is an empath and they are drawn to each other despite the circumstances. The question is whether Dante's bad deeds will catch up with him and if he can garner the trust of Lex's family as they become closer and closer. I was ecstatic to see that this story merged with her Vampire Queen series through maintaining that world's mythology and rules, such as the marking of servants. Cameos by Lady Lyssa and Jacob were awesome!

Joey's writing in this one is less prosaic and much more matter-of-fact. Maybe that's due to the more human setting, but I found it an "easier" read in that regard. The circumstances are more playful, even if the dark moments are just as dark as the previous two. It's kind of a fish out of water story, seeing Dante brought into the human world, but I LOOOVED that part. I've always been a sucker for that type of story.
And Dante is all rough, sweaty, alpha male with little control. It's fun to read :)

So, where is the weakness in this story? If I had to make a complaint it's that the ending for me wasn't as pulled together as I would have liked. I feel like their story is now just getting started. There's no huge cliffhanger or anything, but I wanted to know that some things were settled, i.e. the question of Lex's lifespan, how her weakness from her time spent in the Dark World will affect her, and more I can't state due to it being too much of a spoiler. Will Dante ever get to spend time with Lyssa as she suggested, to better understand his vampire nature? Maybe the unresolved plot lines were meant to be continued in the next installment. It seems this series has been shelved by Berkley, so there's nothing new in the works, which is disappointing :( I do believe by the end that Dante is good soul, but not without the ability for great evil. But that's pretty much every human being on the planet, so it's plausible.

So, I would probably read this again in time for the sheer joy I get in watching Dante play with fingerpaint and make foam flowers. His innocence (but NOT!) was amazing to read. Joey Hill hit that nail right on the head with what I love in a paranormal romance.

[Optimist ♰King's Wench♰]

Dante, Dante, Dante. If I say it 3 times & click my heels together will it transport me to him?

I don’t want to say I’m well versed in BDSM literature-I’ve read my fair share & Dante is far & away the most raw & primal Dom I’ve ever come across. No filter, just desire baldly stated. Amazing.

We were introduced to Dante in A Witch’s Beauty when Mina cloistered him in the Dark One world until he proved himself worthy of being released. Well, Dante found a loophole so to speak through the Prime Legion Commander’s daughter, Alexis. He kidnaps her as a means to an end but finds he’s inexplicably drawn to her & thus has second thoughts about his escape plan. They go through the rift together to find a gaggle of pissed off angels & one seawitch all prepared to send Dante right back where he came from except… he’s also half vampire & unknowingly third marked Alexis. (If you’re not familiar with the Vampire Queen series, this means if they kill Dante, Alexis also dies.) They decide on a 30 day probationary period instead which he will spend with Alexis so she can guide him in the ways & customs of society. Can you imagine how difficult it would be to assimilate an entire society’s customs as an adult in 30 days no less? To go from being constantly on guard against enemies & bombarded by pain, agony & death to walking in the park or going to an aquarium to swim with manatees? For his part Dante assimilates information quickly & makes adjustments faster than most but he still relies on Alexis to navigate & disabuse him of perceived threats where there are none.

These two have so much chemistry, its combustible. I could actually feel the heat coming off the page at times. They’re both creatures of instinct which serves them well & seems to strengthen their connection beyond merely a third marked servant/vampire relationship into mates. Dante’s struggles are palpable in regards to his fight between his Dark One side & the “light” Alexis emits that he so wants to bask in. He’s also exceptionally possessive. I’d put him up there with Mason in the possessive vampire rankings. Alexis has many characteristics of her mother & refuses to believe Dante cannot be redeemed; even repeatedly putting herself in harms way to prove her point.

I continue to be fascinated by this world Ms. Hill has constructed. I’m just sorry I procrastinated on reading this series. I thoroughly enjoyed the guest appearance by Lyssa & Jacob & would be all too eager to read a follow up with all four of them. Who doesn't need some vampire training from the Vampire Queen herself?

[Barbara]

I was disappointed in this installment of the Daughters of Arianne series. A Mermaid's Kiss was beyond excellent. A Witch's Beauty was a darkly erotic romance. But this one is just too dark for my taste. Half-vampire, half-Dark One (demon spawn) Dante is overly violent and a brute. As a line in the book claims "Dante is held by a dark madness and does harm without intent." I do understand that his environment spawned him but as a romance hero he was a bit much. I was seriously upset with the rape scene though I guess it was a setup to show how far Dante will come (no pun intended).

Alexis (Anna and Jonah's daughter) is all sweetness and light (literally being half-angel, half-mermaid - a merangel with a tail, fins and wings). Dante is a mix of darkness, violence and niceness (very briefly) which is extremely confusing for Alexis because only she can see the tiny spark of goodness inside him. Being an angel and an empath, Alexis sees hope where there is little and sticks with Dante in the hopes of turning him from the darkness. She puts up with a lot from him and excuses his behavior time and again even when he physically and emotionally hurts her.

I must say that I actually got tired of the sex scenes between Alexis and Dante as they were every few pages or so and really distracted from the basic storyline. Yeah great he can screw like a champ but is that really going to save his soul? He used dominant sex as a tool to avoid communication since he had no real emotions and couldn't identify his own feelings.

A very long journey but a satisfying ending. It was left open for another sequel...maybe Marcellus and Clara????

For all of you who miss Anna, Jonah, Mina and David, they do feature in this story but only as a means of saving Alexis's ass again and again. No additional story there just assistance.

[Melissa]

A Mermaid’s Ransom
by Joey W. Hill

Alexis is the only child of a love-match between an Angel and a Mermaid. She’s the goddaughter of a powerful Dark One Seawitch. She’s been watched over by heaven above and Lucifer below. However, no one expects her to find the love of her life in a horrible dimension that had been cut off from Earth many years ago.

Dante was the offspring of rape. His mother was a powerful vampire and his sire a Dark One. Growing up in a wasteland without love, being forced to fight for everything he wanted, his life was torture. Dante will do anything to escape his prison, even kidnap the goddaughter of the powerful Seawitch.

What brings Alexis and Dante together is more than fate. Together they must teach each other about the power of love as well as it’s double edged sword. Alexis comes off as pampered yet has a backbone of steel as she fights for what she wants and needs…Dante. Laughter, tenderness and love aren’t in Dante’s vocabulary until Alexis teaches him what those emotions are.

I really enjoyed this third book in the Daughters of Arianne series. Having not read the first ones, I was able to easily follow along and connect with the storyline and backstory. A Mermaid’s Ransom is a stand alone that will leave you wondering about the lessons of love…and just who has the power in a relationship. Dante was so wounded, all I wanted to do was to fix him myself. His sensuality screamed off the page and I could imagine what I’d give for a moment in his arms.

Ms. Hill writes a story that will appeal to all romance readers. The characters are engaging, witty and flawed but full of passion. Even the secondary characters bring extra zing to the story! Reba was a delight! Pick up your copy today!