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Mermaid Queen

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A handsome Lycan King will claim as his mate the mermaid who saved him from drowning.

All her mermaid life, Mirella has been told to stay away from the humans. Yet, one night, a mysterious pull compels her to save a handsome stranger from drowning in a shipwreck. Once she takes him to his island, the language barrier stops her from explaining to him that she’s his fated mate.
Duncan has been waiting for his fated mate. As the king of the Lycans, it’s his duty to marry and leave offspring. He never thought his mate could be a gorgeous mermaid. Despite being unable to communicate with her, he wants to make her his. But is she able to live out of water?
Mirella strikes a deal with the Sea Witch for the ability to speak the human tongue. Deeply in love with the stranger she keeps meeting on a beach, she’ll defy her father and will offer her tail to the witch to be with Duncan. But can she trust him with her heart and her life?

This is an adult fairy tale retelling of the Little Mermaid. This novella is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

114 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 11, 2018

31 people are currently reading
254 people want to read

About the author

Anna Santos

75 books837 followers
Anna Santos is a USA Today Bestselling Author who likes to write about shifters, vampires, angels, mermaids, fae, and occasionally humans.

​Anna always keeps her readers on their toes with adrenaline-fuelled adventures, genuine characters, strong female leads, and romantic plots.

​When she’s not writing, she’s probably reading or spending too watching TV shows. As an introvert, home is her safe harbor. Yet, she’s known for leaving the house from time to time and having her family throw a party because they haven’t seen her for days. Then they ask her how many books she wrote while gone, assuming that writing must be super easy.

Anna guarantees that it’s not, but she never wanted to be anything else. Unless there’s a possibility of being a powerful supernatural being in an awesome world where unicorns and fairies are real. Then, she would probably go there and never come back.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
Profile Image for Mak.
144 reviews45 followers
January 22, 2019
Ψεκάστε, σκουπίστε, τελειώσατε! This Greek slogan translates into 'spray, wipe, done' which is used to describe a quick and uninhibited/exaggerated act. This book even for a short story is still too quick. If I could summarize it would be something like this: dying blah blah saved blah blah true love blah destined mate blah blah sea witch blah exchange fishtail for human language blah daddy gets mad blah blah but strikes a deal anyways blah blah big wedding blah blah sex sex sex sex blah attack blah misunderstanding blah blah another wedding blah sex and done. Seriously? The writing is so childish and hastily done that feels as if the author was in a train and wrote it from one station to the other out of boredom. The idea of using not only the merfolk, but also lycans and vampires is nice, but so damn wasted. There was no need to use other supernatural beings if she never planned to exploit it further. From page one within 10 minutes of acquaintance and nil intimate interaction the MC is in love and he is her destined mate and calls him her lover. WTF?
Profile Image for Jerecho.
396 reviews51 followers
September 13, 2018
It's true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And the cover of this book is very beautiful. But you cannot judge a book by its cover. And the cover does not justify the pages.

I really want to like it. The first part is okay but as the middle page approaches it becomes too dragging and a little bit rush to fits all in one plate. Also, the conversations of the characters are sometimes confusing. The characters are interesting, a Lycan King, a princess of the sea, a vampire King, and the King of the sea, sea witch and two powerful princesses. The plot is okay, actually it's great but the stitching is not. Maybe It should begin in "I'm Mirella and this is my story...." And a prequel... My mother lives in a cave... Get the idea... Hahaha! Just a pigment of my imagination... 😊
Profile Image for Mandie.
692 reviews34 followers
December 12, 2018
I really enjoyed this amazing Little Mermaid retelling. I really loved this adult version. It grabbed my attention from the first page. While most of the story was predictable, I still loved the unique aspects that the author added.
Profile Image for CrazyColorfulRoan .
98 reviews28 followers
January 21, 2020
A cute, easy read (It's for 18 PLUS OKIE!!!) 😳☺️. I have an easy breezy ride while reading this book. This is about a mermaid princess who saved a lycan king who is her mate. Well this is a retelling of the Little Mermaid SPG Version. Hahahahaha..... (Insert my awkward, shy laugh.) Finished this in just a few hours.

If you just want to enjoy reading and no heavy plot in it read this. I wish there is more. The author put many characters in one book without their proper background story or introduction. That's why I WANT MORE OF THIS!!!! Well that's all😉
Profile Image for Elsbeth.
838 reviews
May 17, 2018
When your future father-in-law is a demi-god and a King of the Sea, the threats when you don't treat his daughter right are more deadly and wet than normal. Luckily, the lycan king really loves this Little Mermaid Princess.
With lycans and vampires, it makes a very nice twist to the traditional fairy tale.
I received a copy and chose to review it.
Profile Image for Jamie Lee Zonneveld.
1,685 reviews51 followers
July 8, 2019
Mermaid Queen by Anna Santos is a Little Mermaid retelling. It's a really sweet and fast paced short story and I really liked it. It was my first book by Anna Santos but it won't be my last.
Profile Image for Miriam Løvdahl.
137 reviews4 followers
June 27, 2019
It's a simple and sweet retelling of H.C. Andersen's "The Little Mermaid". It's a bit to fast-paced in my opinion, and I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if the author had let the story unfold a bit slower. That said, I did like the story and concept.

Mirella is a mermaid princess that that saves Duncan, the king of the Lycans, from drowning after an attack on his ship. They instantly fall in love but are unable to communicate because of the difference in language. She will do anything to be able to show him that she loves him even defying her father and visiting the sea witch with the hope that she can help her learn the human language.

This book contains some steamy sex scenes. If you have a problem with that. Put the book down.
Profile Image for Elizabeth Connor.
1,466 reviews41 followers
July 7, 2019
If this book were any longer, I'd have surely stopped reading it. The cover is gorgeous, but unfortunately, this belies some awful storytelling. I suppose there are the bones of a decent story hidden in here, though I suspect we have Hans Christian Anderson to thank for that.

The storytelling is robotic, with stilted conversations and two-dimensional characters. The reader is told the characters experience emotions without being shown how they actually feel. Physical sensations are conveyed a bit better. Every other attempt to engage the senses falls flat. Sights are nondescript. Smells are minimal. Taste? Eh. Sounds seem irrelevant. Touch is explored, but that brings me to another big issue.

The problem with an adult retelling of The Little Mermaid is that mermaids don't have lady parts. Now, obviously, I understand that she will transform when she goes on land, but in addition to all of the other things to which she will need to adjust, like walking and breathing air, having female genitalia is going to require a bit more adjustment. And it's ridiculous to ponder her having sex and experiencing it the same way someone who has always been human would. The author missed a huge opportunity to explore her physical sensations in a meaningful way.

In this day and age of autocorrect and spell check and free editing software, there's no excuse for using the wrong word. There are plenty of free online thesauruses available to be sure to pick the correct word for every occasion. Tranches stands out as an odd choice. Frenetically is used when frantically would make more sense. Bare is used instead of bear. But I've saved the worst for last.

Finally, I have to comment on the grammar. The verb tenses were so inconsistent, I spent most of the time trying to figure out when things were happening or had happened. The writing kept switching between present and past tense — mid-paragraph, mid-sentence, mid-thought. It was maddening. At one point instead of saying "touches me" it says "touched her." This is why it's essential to have a good editor. If you go back over a story and try to make even one change, whether it be verb tense or POV or anything else, you must have someone else go through the entire thing to check for consistency.

This book is a huge disappointment. I know Anna Santos is capable of much better than this. I'm only sorry that such a beautiful cover has been (is being/was) wasted on such terrible prose.
Profile Image for Michelle Promotion's for Indie Author's csmindiepr.
334 reviews22 followers
August 8, 2019
Mermaid Queen.
Anna Santos.
Anna Santos is an Author who’s book’s I have not read before, but “The Mermaid Queen” was an intriguing storyline culminating in two characters falling in love who couldn’t be from two more totally different species if you tried.
Like most people we always want what is impossible to have. But I have found that if you are a part of the world of magic if you are lucky enough a witch might be able to concoct you a special spell to hopefully help you achieve that which you are forbidden to have.
Mirella is the youngest of king Tritan the “Sea King” who finds herself enamoured with the alpha of the Lycans “Duncan” who she saved from drowning after his ship exploded. Even though this is against the laws of her family and especially her father Mirella is unable to turn away from the man she saved, completely unaware of just how totally different they are. But when it comes to loving another, what we respond to deeply, we cannot change.
Throughout the book it’s almost as if every path they choose, something or someone attempts to prevent them achieving what they both desire most, until Mirella’s older sister uses her knowledge and influence to help guide both Duncan and the Mermaid in the right direction so that even King Trident is unable to refuse what is very real to everyone who sees the two of them together.
Through pure determination, love and support even though being together appears impossible, being together is what makes them complete, so they are able to sort out all of the issues and problems keeping them apart ensuring their love and time together cannot be prevented.
A very gentle loving and absorbing book almost impossible to put down especially when it looks as though the two central character’s will not end up together. But the depth of their love for each other stops all the problems they have so they can control their lives to be as one. Anna Santos has written an alluring yet gentle storyline that keeps you absorbed in the challenges facing the two main characters. A wonderful read but a tad raunchy for those who don’t like sexy or explicit.
2,794 reviews40 followers
May 12, 2018
Mermaid Queen A Little Mermaid Fairy Tale Retelling by Anna Santos Mermaid Queen: A Little Mermaid Fairy Tale Retelling By: Anna Santos
Aggrandizing Little Mermaid; Awesome!!!
Delightful ADULT retelling of Little Mermaid's classic fairytale...
It's time to mix some Alpha into the Mermaid's tale, or is it TAIL quite literally, with this Hot, Se*y, Lycan King itching to split this Little Mermaid's tail & Make her HIS QUEEN!
Welcome aboard Anna Santos' "Mermaid Queen: A Little Mermaid Fairy Tale Retelling" where things aren't like you remember them, but rather they've been taken to a whole NEW level. One-Click today & ride the Wave along with ALL the Mermaids, Lycans, & Vamps... Oh My!!
I was granted an ARC of "Mermaid Queen: A Little Mermaid Fairy Tale Retelling" by Anna Santos via Booksprout; however, I recommend this book to others based upon its own merits. All opinions expressed within this review are uniquely my own & freely given!
Until next time... Happy Reading!
Profile Image for Billie.
5,784 reviews71 followers
July 28, 2019

A handsome Lycan King will claim as his mate the mermaid who saved him from drowning.
All her mermaid life, Mirella has been told to stay away from the humans. Yet, one night, a mysterious pull compels her to save a handsome stranger from drowning in a shipwreck. Once she takes him to his island, the language barrier stops her from explaining to him that she’s his fated mate.
Duncan has been waiting for his fated mate. As the king of the Lycans, it’s his duty to marry and leave offspring. He never thought his mate could be a gorgeous mermaid. Despite being unable to communicate with her, he wants to make her his. But is she able to live out of water?
Mirella strikes a deal with the Sea Witch for the ability to speak the human tongue. Deeply in love with the stranger she keeps meeting on a beach, she’ll defy her father and will offer her tail to the witch to be with Duncan. But can she trust him with her heart and her life?

This is an adult fairy tale retelling of the Little Mermaid. This novella is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

What a wonderful reimagining of this fairytale.
I love the world building that has been done here.
Wonderfully written characters that you can visually see as they have been fleshed out so well.
Love the plot and story line here.
Recommend reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Emily Pennington.
20.8k reviews361 followers
July 20, 2019
Duncan, the Lycan King, fell overboard as the enemy’s cannonball exploded into his ship. He sank into the cold ocean, unable to move, as the Vampire King’s army searched for survivors to kill. He was out of air when a face hovered over his, arms wrapped around him and propelled him to the surface to gasp in a breath. She then pulled him away from the battle as he faded to unconsciousness. He awoke and asked where his men were and his ship, but the girl remained mute, hovering close to him but no longer touching.

Mirella is drawn to the world beyond their underwater kingdom. Her sister tries to stop her, but she had to follow the melody that surrounds her constantly. What she finds when she rescues a drowning man is her mate, but she is unable to communicate with him. Defying her father, she goes to the sea witch to negotiate a way to speak with her mate. Will she find the way? Will Duncan return her love?

This is my favorite fairytale and the little twists and changes to include vampires and lycans, my other favorite creatures, made it a fun read. Grab your copy and see if you find the new slant on The Little Mermaid to be equally enjoyable!
Profile Image for The Mysterious Reader.
3,589 reviews66 followers
May 26, 2018
I love a good retelling of classic fairy takes, and I’ve adored (and think I’ve read all of) Anna Santos’ novels to date. It’s no surprise then that I was delighted to get my hands on Mermaid Queen, her retelling of the A Little Mermaid fairy tale. This book is, quite simply, extremely imaginative and superbly written. It had just what I wanted and was well written and with a great plot and great cast of characters. I frankly adore A Little Mermaid and love watching her relationship with Lycan King Duncan. The rest of the cast of characters is pretty amazing as well. But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises - the book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, it is easy to highly recommend.
Profile Image for Coccibelle.
398 reviews4 followers
May 20, 2018
This was the sweetest and more cheesy book ever. There was no drama and the issues were resolve in a heartbeat... Though it was entertaining and very cute, but so sweet and without struggle... I don't know if I would like to live in this almost too perfect world or I would find life too boring.
Profile Image for Barbara.
19.2k reviews8 followers
May 22, 2018
A well-written short story of 89 pages that is an adult retelling of the Little Mermaid, I enjoyed reading this book. There are Mermaids, Lycan and Vampires all made this story interesting. There is an attempted Kidnapping, a war between the Vampires, and Lycan and Lycan King Duncan does not know why! When Duncan's ship is attacked, Mermaid Princess Mirella saves him from drowning and the Vampires. The cover of this book is well illustrated and it drew my eye to it when I first saw it. I would recommend this book. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Amanda.
14 reviews3 followers
June 23, 2019
I knew going into this book it was a novella/short story, however it seemed a little rushed.
The overall writing was good, as you can expect from other books from Anna Santos. The ‘issues’ and ‘arguments’ in the book were finished and gotten over within a page or two, one especially could have been the driving point behind the whole story.
You can see the inspiration from The Little Mermaid all throughout this story which was lovely. And I liked the little twist with King Duncan too.

It’s probably not something I’ll read again, but it was good to read nevertheless.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Caroline Doig.
5,457 reviews49 followers
July 6, 2019
This is a sweet adult retelling of the Little Mermaid and I liked the added alpha werewolf king who is saved by a beautiful mermaid, he knows that she is his mate but they can’t understand each other. Mirella has fallen in love with the man that she had saved from a shipwreck so she goes to the sea witch and makes a deal so she can understand the language and speak it. I ❤️ this story but then I have most of Anna Santos’s books and this is another great one to add to my collection and I highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for Jasmine Voosen.
549 reviews
July 7, 2019

The Mermaid Queen by Anna Santos is a unique spin on the little mermaid. In this version we have Mirella the daughter of the God of the Sea and Duncan the Lycan King, her mate. She finds him in a dire situation while in the middle of a war with the Vampire King...They are undeniably drawn to each other, but can they overcome the obvious issues??? I mean she lives underwater and can't speak to him! Anna manages to engage the reader and successfully retell this classic tale in her own way. Can't wait to read more additions to this series!
757 reviews5 followers
August 4, 2019
Mermaid Queen by Anna Santos is a fairy tale retelling of the Little Mermaid. In this book, Mirella a mermaid princess finds the lycan king Duncan when vampires attack his ship which is destroyed and he is thrown overboard. Mirella saves his life and returns him to his island. This is the beginning of a unique retelling of the classic Little Mermaid tale. This was a fun read with exciting twists and some spicy love scenes. I really enjoyed it. Mermaid Queen is an enchanting twist on a favorite fairy tale.
Profile Image for Reena.
956 reviews3 followers
September 3, 2019
3.5 stars

I love fairytale retellings, no matter the age group they're targeted at. This particular retelling by Anna Santos holds a lot of promise, what with the unique approach she takes on the classic tale of the little mermaid. The characters were quite interesting, but what stumped me was how rushed the book seemed. I believe that the plotlines weren't developed enough, to the point that the story seemed stilted. Still, if you're looking for a quick fairytale retelling to escape reality for a bit, you should give this a try.
204 reviews
May 14, 2018
A sweetly sumptuous retelling with a slightly wild twist…
An all-grown-up Little Mermaid…
And a Lycan king…
Oh, my!

An impossible bargain
For an impossible Love…
But a love deeper and stronger
Than the rhythm of the sea
Cannot be denied.

Fairy tale re-tellings are among my favorite kinds of books. This one enchanted me from the first page to the last.
Bottom line: Amazing. 5 stars.

Profile Image for Emily Dickson.
1,096 reviews7 followers
June 3, 2018
This was a fast and fun retelling of the little mermaid with several differences in the storyline. First our little mermaid went after what she wanted and the sea witch wasn't quiet as evil. Our king was a wolf and had problems with vampires. All the characters were likeable and interesting. A great short story putting a new twist on an old fairy tale. Loved it!! I am voluntarily reviewing an arc I received.
1 review
June 21, 2019
A new reimagining of a classic fairy tale. Have you ever wondered how the Little Mermaid would fit in with Lycans and Vampires? Then this book’s for you! I would have liked to have it turn into a full book and further flesh out side storylines. Here’s hoping she expands on the other characters’ love stories.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Michelle.
10.7k reviews28 followers
July 2, 2019
Mermaid Queen is a well written short retelling of the Little Mermaid with a few paranormal twists. In this book Mirella is a Mermaid Princess and Duncan is the King of the Lycan's. Mirella saves Duncan from drowning when his ship is attacked and they fall for each other instantly. Great writing, paranormal twists, and a great cast of characters make this a must read. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.
4,720 reviews41 followers
July 3, 2019
Pretty amazing piece.
When I was looking at books on Booksprout I knew I had to pick up both of Ms. Santos offerings. I loved Hunting the Beast, but the Mermaid Queen was outstanding. The author has taken the Little Mermaid tale and has spiced it up with unbelievable characters and awesome twists that blow me away. This is a book you would definitely want to read. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
634 reviews17 followers
July 7, 2019
This is a quick, easy, and fun read. I quite enjoyed it. I liked the world of the mermaids and I liked how the story included lycanthropes and vampires as well as merfolk. It’s a good retelling of the little mermaid. I liked Mirella and Duncan and I enjoyed their romance. And I’m happy it had an HEA :) I recommend it for anyone who likes fairytale retellings and paranormal romance.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Jaime Margaria.
83 reviews1 follower
July 7, 2019
I love stories about mermaids and The Little Mermaid in particular. This story by Anna Santos was such a fantastic twist on the classic tale. Not only does the little mermaid save her prince, but she also has to deal with Lycans and Vampires! I love all thing supernatural so reading this story, topped with vampires and werewolves was fantastic. I did not want the story to end!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Eve Jones.
487 reviews6 followers
July 9, 2019
I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.
This book is the first book that I have read by this author, I really enjoyed the way that she put her own stamp on the little mermaid story.
The characters are well written and you want a happy ending for them.
I also loved the sister Dana and would love to see a story about her.
I'd recommend this book to read as a quick read, and especially if you enjoy the little mermaid story.
Profile Image for Shantelle Hazelton.
93 reviews1 follower
July 22, 2019
I really enjoyed this twist on the little mermaid, dove right in and didn't come back up for air until I was done. Instead of just a mermaid falling in love with a human and getting married, it has a more exciting story line. Lycans, mermaids, vampires, forbidden love. If you love mermaids (like me!) you will love this novella!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
223 reviews1 follower
July 22, 2019
This story is a unique perspective of the retelling of The Little Mermaid. Mirella, the youngest daughter of the King of the Sea saves the King of the Lycans, Duncan. How do they get past the fact that she is a mermaid and he is a Lycan? Can he really take care of her, protect her? She is a demi-god. Her father is the son of the God of the sea - Poseidon. I really liked reading this story. It was a fun read. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of the book. Thank you.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews

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