Seaborn

by Lena North

Charlie runs for her life, bruised and bleeding after yet another visit from her former boyfriend. The only one she can turn to is a colleague, and Carrie sends Charlie to her parents on the Islands, a safe haven where she can rest and heal. Prepared to leave, things take an unexpected turn when Charlie finds out about the legacy some of the families on the Islands share, and how she has links to it.

Joao is about to propose to his girlfriend when his uncle calls to ask for help, and he arrives at his uncle Nico and aunt Pauline’s house to find an abused girl. As the chief of police and protector of the Islands, he’s used to handling situations like this, but then the girl opens her eyes and his world shifts. The turquoise gaze is a clear indication that the girl comes from the Islands, but it also cuts straight to his soul.

Charlie and Joao grow close as she adjusts to her new life, but then their lives are turned around yet again, and this time, there might not be a way back to who they were becoming together.

Seaborn is loosely linked to the Birds of a Feather series where Joao played a part in book #4, Black Snow. The story takes place after the series ends, but it is not a continuation and can be read standalone.

Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance

365 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 20, 2018

About the author

The proper way to put it here would probably be to describe how I love to play with our two big dogs, how much I adore my fantastic daughters and how much I love to read.

Another way would be to use my imagination and then I would be a super powerful warrior woman, think Xena the warrior princess (though with less tacky clothes). Or when I think of it, maybe I’m actually more of a Hercule Poirot (sans the suit and moustache). Or maybe I’m like Aragorn, strong and cool and then I might get to meet Gandalf! Or I could be Bella’s pretty cousin and snap Jacob up in a second (yeah, I’m so not team Edward), or wait, maybe I could be like one of them heroines in historical novels who swoon all the time. I’ve always wanted to swoon…

Well, I guess you get how my mind is working (or not working, some say).

Anyways, I like to write. Stories, adventures, romantic and happy stuff mixed up with sorrow and hardship, and bit of laughter here and there because the way I see it – life is way too short to go around feeling grumpy.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Lena North takes a fresh approach to paranormal fantasy with SEABORN as a young, battered woman seeks refuge from her ex-boyfriend and finds herself in a world filled with carefully guarded secrets that she has more ties to then she could have imagined or believed!

What Charlie discovers on the small island she hides on is more than a safe place to heal, it is a piece of her unknown heritage and the sense of belonging that she has never known. Will her island haven be destroyed by demons from her past or will she finally find the true meaning of belonging in a community who will stand up and protect their own? Will her heart finally find a safe place to land, as well or will she once again face stormy seas that will shatter her heart?

Joao is more than the chief of police on the island, he is a Protector, but what does that mean for Charlie? Does the laidback bar owner have a connection to Charlie’s past? Why does Charlie seem to have an affinity with the dolphins who swim off the shore?

With the magic of her words, Lena North takes us back to a magical world of spirit animals and shapeshifting abilities while still making her world come alive with a sense of mystery in a setting that seems almost mystical. Feel the island breezes, sense the atmosphere of caring among its inhabitants and watch Charlie morph from a troubled and terrified young woman into the special person she was meant to be.

There is always something that feels special, like a shared secret in Lena North’s tales. SEABORNis a perfect reflection of this author’s wonderful talent to draw readers in, make them care about the characters and believe in the world they have entered.

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Lena North!

Publisher: FAB Books; 1 edition (August 20, 2018)
Publication Date: August 20, 2018
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Print Length: 276 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Ashleyjayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed seaborn by lena north, having not read from this author, I can now say that's changed. I loved seaborn and the characters and everything about this book when I seen she had other books in another series I quickly downloaded and have now read them aswell. Safe to say I've now found a new author to love.

[Lena]

Standalone spin-off from this series!



Free on Kindle Unlimited and available here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/...

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lottie (Charlie) flees an abusive ex-boyfriend and a co-worker helps her to escape to the Islands. to stay with her parents Pauline and Nicholas.

Joao is the Chief of Police on the Islands. He has seen most of his friends fall in love and settle down and he wants what they have. So even though he doesn't have any strong feelings for his girlfriend Mimi he is going to propose, until a call from his uncle Nick demanding his immediate presence interrupts him. When Joao meets Charlie he is immediately drawn to her, but also realises that based on her colouring she is originally from the islands - but who was her father?

Charlie can't believe she has escaped her violent ex, a cop, the son of a Senator and nephew to the President - he thinks he is untouchable. Everyone on the Islands is so nice, they all seem to be related to each other and now it seems as though she's one of them.

But the Islanders have a big secret, three of the original families have special abilities and Charlie seems as though she has inherited them too.

I always struggle to define these books and this one was no different, until I realised that it's really just a paranormal romance featuring shifters - it's just that the shifter element isn't front and centre like it normally is.

As long as you embrace the paranormal aspect this is a fantastic romance. Despite her harsh life Charlie is a wonderful character, principled, kind, helpful and full of fun. Joao takes his role seriously but he is blown away by this resilient woman who doesn't let anything get her down. Okay she argues with him constantly, challenges his authority and laughs at him - but somehow he loves it.

If the idea of a sexy Police Chief with dreadlocks and a paranormal ability on beautiful islands floats your boat then this is definitely the book for you. There's laughter, romance and a little suspense.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Bumped for release.

[Lo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I am so excited to find out these characters are part of a series. I won this from the giveaways and cannot wait to look for the series.

I got involved with the story. It painted a picture in my mind. Love it when authors can do that.

[poppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good interesting read and I enjoyed it. The characters were really good and the storyline kept me reading late into the night This is the first book I have from Lena and I am looking forward to reading more from her. A super read I really liked it.

[Shelleen Toland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlie runs for her life, bruised and bleeding after yet another visit from her former boyfriend. The only one she can turn to is a colleague, and Carrie sends Charlie to her parents on the Islands, a safe haven where she can rest and heal. Prepared to leave, things take an unexpected turn when Charlie finds out about the legacy some of the families on the Islands share, and how she has links to it.

Joao is about to propose to his girlfriend when his uncle calls to ask for help, and he arrives at his uncle Nico and aunt Pauline’s house to find an abused girl. As the chief of police and protector of the Islands, he’s used to handling situations like this, but then the girl opens her eyes and his world shifts. The turquoise gaze is a clear indication that the girl comes from the Islands, but it also cuts straight to his soul.

This is a paranormal, romance, thriller. I was hooked from the beginning of the book and could not put it down. Charlie had a rough life growing up and shunned as a child so when she meets the people on this Island she sees how strong of a bond family is and she finds out secrets that tie her to the Island. There is supposedly another book coming out for this series and I can not wait to read it. I loved the characters in the book and I laughed out loud quite a few times while reading.

I received this free from NetGalley for an honest review,

[Mommaleena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of twists

What an exciting story that's full of humor, mystery, action and love. Lena will have you turning page after page and wanting more, I know I do!
ARC received from BookSprout for an honest voluntary review.
Due to adult situations, this book is recommended for readers 16 and older

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley and I am very excited to say that this was 4* book for me.

It had me laughing and awing and oohing and making all sort of sort of sounds that a good book should make you do!

The book is about Charlie, a young woman that grew up in an unstable environment and who ended up being in an abusive relationship which she had to get away from at any cost. A friend, Carrie, helped her get away and she was taken to a remote location on the islands that Carrie was from. On the islands Charlie meets Joao, the chief of police and protector of the islands, and their connection is instant.. the story unfolds from there..

I loved how you could see the evolution of Charlie’s character from being closed up, scared and having no trust to anyone to a bubbly, happy person who could not wait to be surrounded by people she loved (who of course loved her back).

The romance part of the story unfolds smoothly and, as is usually done in most romance books, there is a twist at some point in the book that has both characters gutted. The twist in this book was NOT your usual twist and I honestly did not see it coming! And it does not end there. There are a lot more twists and turns especially after the first half of the book that keep you turning the pages.

The paranormal part was a first for me to be honest but I thought that it was very fresh and different.

I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more from this author.

[anita.thebookaddict · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC in kindle giving to me by NetGalley and Publisher in exchange for my voluntary honest review. Thank you!!!

Seaborn by Lena North was my first book that I read by this author.
I really liked the story from beginning to end.
It is a "clean" or "behind closed doors" story..... For me it should have been a bit more steamier, but that's just my preference in romance novels.( Not sure if this is the authors style of writing) therefore is why I only gave it a 4*

The book captured me right from the first page, Lottie had to run away from an abusive ex-boyfriend that was an asshole, coward, and thought he could do whatever he wanted.....man he sure pissed me off.
She had a horrible upbringing, but she later found a shit load of people that wanted to be her family and friends. I loved the whole family ties in this story.
Then we have the whole paranormal side of the story that envolved dolphins ( which are beautiful animals) that was awesome, and surprising to me I don't think I ever read about 'waterman'......lol if you read the book you with understand.
There is also a bit of mystery thrown into the mix .....WOW really good book.
I hope we get to go back to Croxier and revisit everyone especially Charlie & Joao - I would love to see what capabilities their baby will have??? hum

[MJM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lena North is a new author to me and, having read this book, I am obviously going to have to read thew Feather Series by her as it is linked to this book [though this is easy to read as a standalone] Charlie has an abusive ex boyfriend[Sabastion] who has beaten her up for the last time as far as she is concerned and she asks her friend Callie for help. She sends her to her family islands to her mum and dad for protection and to be off the grid. There she meets Joao who is Chief of Police and protector of the islands. She amazes him and he knows that he can't propose marriage to his girlfriend, Mimi, as he'd been going to do as he recognises Charlie as someone that he craves and so much more. This is also a paranormal story which I really loved and it was wonderful reading about the watermen! Yes there are twists in the storyline but it is all so well put together that I thoroughly encourage you to read this for yourself as I enjoyed it so much. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.Most Definitely Recommended

[Debbie Caswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is this book a paranormal romance but it is different in that it isn't in you face it is just an underlying factor in this wonderful romance

Charlie has escaped the clutches of a abusive ex as a cop, the son of a Senator and nephew to the President he thinks he can get away with anything and he has so far But friends have helped Charlie to escape to the islands and there she will find a place where she truly belongs. Joao is the Chief of Police on the Islands he has seen all of his friends settle down and was willing to take second best in life to start a family but when he meets Charlie he is instantly smitten. He knows from her colouring that her ancestry is also from the island but he needs to know more about this woman that constantly challenges him. This is a wonderful love story that will draw you in and keep you interested to the very last page

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shirley Linn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I really don't know what to say about this book. I have never read anything like this book. This author created an amazing, original, storyline. I actually felt like I could visualise the scenery. There were numerous characters but, that did not confuse the story it added to its depth. There were so many wonderful characters that stood out in this story. This is Joao and Charlie's story but, it was more than that. It was the story of an island and its people living as one big family. I don't want to say to much about the actual story because I was amazed as each layer of the story unfolded and I want whoever reads this book next to be as surprised and amazed as I was. This is one of the few rare books that I wish I could give ten stars because it is a perfect ten.

[Nicole Levy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seaborn started a bit slow and awkward for me, but by the end I was laughing out loud and smiling at my Kindle. Charlie and Joao's story is not a simple one. It's sad at times, a bit terrifying at times, and heartwarming sometimes, too. Throughout it all, Charlie and Joao are surrounded by an island of "cousins" and so much love.

Seaborn is the first book in a new series and loosely tied to the Birds of a Feather series, but it's completely enjoyable as a standalone. (There's one plot point that's unresolved that I assume carries over into another book, but it's not central to the story.)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Aurora Batty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read Lena North's Birds of a Feather series and enjoyed it. Her writing clearly evolves throu out the series and even more so with Seaborn. This was the perfect mix of suspense, romance, fantasy and funny. I literally had trouble not laughing out loud as I read this at several points. I think this series will be better than it's sister series and can't wait to finish them.

Though they tend to be stand alone in a series it does help to have read the others to know what is going on with some of the references and the same goes with some of the references in Seaborn. If you have read the Birds of a Feather series s few references are lost but still a great book

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seaborn by Lena North was a fun read I loved all the characters I felt connected to them right away. This book is a must read for the summer, a class of wine and the pool is the perfect setting to read this book. Charlie is a strong female character stuck in a bad place. Once she is free she blossomed. I loved that about the book the most. Followed by the fantasy parts involving mermaids and dolphins. I really hope she continues with this whole family. I would love to see what happens with the cousins.

[April eclecticbookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this in a Goodreads giveaway. Charlie escapes an abusive relationship and hides on an island that happens to have previously unknown relatives with unique abilities. There aren’t many shifter books that I’ve come across with this shift so it was a nice change. It’s set as a stand-alone but is connected to a longer series and there were a few parts that you could feel it a bit but not so much that it hurt the story. I definitely would like to read more from this author since this was an easy 4-star read.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

She needs to run away after another visit from her former boyfriend. She is bruised and bloodied, her friend have a place she could go to be safe. She ends up meeting someone who could be good for her but there are forces that may break them apart. It is due to the fact she is from the island they want Townsend her too. What is the secrets? Will they be able to be together? See where it will all go

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sherry Westendorf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this story. It has such depth and emotion to it. It is a story that grabs you and keeps your attention. She is beat badly and goes to an island with relatives who need her help. His uncle calls for help when he sees how bad she is. They find out they have a deeper connection. I recommend it. I was given a review copy by booksprout and voluntarily review it.

[Valentina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlie is on the run from her ex-boyfriend that beat her. Charlie gets ahold of a colleague Carrie. Carrie sends Charlie to her parents. Joao is the Chief of Police. Joao is about to propose to his girlfriend when his uncle calls for help. I enjoyed reading this book. I loved the storyline and plot. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ronda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

I, in a heartbeat would jump at the chance to go to the Island! A family kind enough to take in, a complete stranger, and care for her as one of their own. A family with their own secrets, but secrets that tie them not just to the Island, but to the sea as well. I can't wait to read the next in this series...

[Neisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book

I could tell from the first pages I would love this book. There was so many amazing characters that I can't wait for more books. This was my first book by Lena North but it won't be the last.

[Toni Wittus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Great story, great plot, great characters. Well done!

[Denise Woodruff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the type of book I would buy. I won a copy off goodreads and man I wonder how many books I missed out on. I love this one

[Brie S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a nice escape, and a powerful tale, all at the same time.

[Trista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

This is an amazing story with just enough everything to keep you turning the page, I finished this book in less than 24 hours!!!

[Peta Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Charlie's boyfriend became physically abusive, she asks her work colleague Carrie for help. Carrie arranges for Charlie to go to her parents on the Islands to escape her ex boyfriend who is an influential person.

There she meets Joao, the Chief of Police, an as heir feelings grow, danger lurks just around the corner. Joao realises he has feelings for Charlie and he first must break away from his girlfriend who he has come to realise only wants to control him.

As Charlie and Joao's relationship starts to become more serious, Joao's time is spent chasing down drug runners. He has help from the dolphins and Charlie comes to the conclusion that Joao and his family have some sort of abilities that allow them to communicate with the water creatures and that somehow she is tied up with the Islanders and because of that her life is in grave danger,

This book also has some characters from Book Four of Birds of a Feather, which is great to revisit them in this book.

This was a very good book, loved the Paranormal aspects of it and really hope we get more books on the other characters in this one. Am loving everything written by Lena North.

Thanks to NetGalley and FAB Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seaborn is the first in a new series, loosely linked to another series by the same author. In this story, we meet Charlie, or Lottie as she is known at that time. She is running for her life, away from an abusive ex. It is told in enough detail that your sympathy is with her immediately, whilst dropping you straight into the story. She is taken to an island where she meets a group of people who end up meaning more to her than she ever thought possible.

I went into this story not really expecting too much. I'd been burnt by a couple of stories where the blurb really drew me in, and yet the story left me cold. This was one of the opposite cases where I was blown away by what I received!

The characters are all well-rounded, whether you like them or not. Some of them are fantastic - I'm looking at you Dupree! And others are... not. I'll leave it to you to figure that one out! The writing is exceptional, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading. However, full disclosure, I don't know if I'd notice them anyway, as I was thoroughly engrossed with the story. I went through a whole gamut of emotions whilst reading this - from horror and pity to a situation, to disgust, to laughter, to crying. It was all here, and I was an emotional wreck by the time I finished this book.

This is the first book by this author I have read, and it won't be the last. How do I know this for sure? Because on the back of reading this book, I immediately purchased the WHOLE Dreughan and Birds of a Feather series - that's a further eight books I now have by this author, and I can't wait to lose myself in her worlds again.

Absolutely and highly recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sep 14, 2018

[Wanda Watkins]

LOVED every second of it and wish the story continued

[Cindy Woten]

The author does a good job of describing the characters that draws you into the story. Loved the description of the location along with the traditions. Was easy to envision you were right there with them.