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Heron Manor #1
Omega from the Ocean
An MM Retelling of The Little Mermaid. With dragons.
Merman Jack is a terrible virgin sacrifice. Mostly because he isn’t virginal. At all.
Hopefully the Sea King won’t notice.
For Jack, the human world has too many wonderful temptations, and too many alphas to resist. He only has two months left before he has to give himself to the Sea King, and he doesn’t want to spend them in the cold, dark catacombs where the Mermen of Rixton live. It may be forbidden for Jack to go to shore, but when did that ever stop him?
Peter is a terrible dragon shifter. He can’t figure out what he’s supposed to collect for his hoard. Without his hoard, he can’t do any of the important dragon-shifter things, like take his dragon form or find his fated mate. After years of losing his lovers to their fated mates, Peter’s feeling his age, and he’s tired of being alone.
When Peter sees a beautiful merman on the beach, he thinks he’s finally found his fated mate. Jack falls hard for Peter too, but he knows they can’t be together forever. If Jack doesn’t show up on the day of his sacrifice, the Sea King will kill his father and take his brother instead.
Will the love between a terrible virgin sacrifice and a terrible dragon shifter be enough to change their fate?
Omega from the Ocean is a gritty, age-gap romance with knotting, light D/s, and Mpreg of the dragon-egg variety. This is not a stand-alone book. While the ending may be an HEA for Jack and Peter, it’s an HFN for the rest of the Mermen of Rixton.
Merman Jack is a terrible virgin sacrifice. Mostly because he isn’t virginal. At all.
Hopefully the Sea King won’t notice.
For Jack, the human world has too many wonderful temptations, and too many alphas to resist. He only has two months left before he has to give himself to the Sea King, and he doesn’t want to spend them in the cold, dark catacombs where the Mermen of Rixton live. It may be forbidden for Jack to go to shore, but when did that ever stop him?
Peter is a terrible dragon shifter. He can’t figure out what he’s supposed to collect for his hoard. Without his hoard, he can’t do any of the important dragon-shifter things, like take his dragon form or find his fated mate. After years of losing his lovers to their fated mates, Peter’s feeling his age, and he’s tired of being alone.
When Peter sees a beautiful merman on the beach, he thinks he’s finally found his fated mate. Jack falls hard for Peter too, but he knows they can’t be together forever. If Jack doesn’t show up on the day of his sacrifice, the Sea King will kill his father and take his brother instead.
Will the love between a terrible virgin sacrifice and a terrible dragon shifter be enough to change their fate?
Omega from the Ocean is a gritty, age-gap romance with knotting, light D/s, and Mpreg of the dragon-egg variety. This is not a stand-alone book. While the ending may be an HEA for Jack and Peter, it’s an HFN for the rest of the Mermen of Rixton.
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First published July 4, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
July 15, 2019
Time of death: 10%
I’m just not feeling it. 🤷♀️ Only the begging and the book is already contradicting with the statements. The omega said the sea king only accepts omegas who come to him willingly. And he also said if he doesn’t go to the sea king when the time is due, his brother will be taken in his place. So which one is it? 🤦♀️ The writing was not attractive enough to keep me reading and I have too many books on my TBR so I’m calling it “quit”. As is customary, this book will receive 2.5 stars which all my DNF books receive. 😅
2.5 nope stars
⭐️⭐️💫
I’m just not feeling it. 🤷♀️ Only the begging and the book is already contradicting with the statements. The omega said the sea king only accepts omegas who come to him willingly. And he also said if he doesn’t go to the sea king when the time is due, his brother will be taken in his place. So which one is it? 🤦♀️ The writing was not attractive enough to keep me reading and I have too many books on my TBR so I’m calling it “quit”. As is customary, this book will receive 2.5 stars which all my DNF books receive. 😅
2.5 nope stars
⭐️⭐️💫
May 21, 2023
4.25**** stars
This is an MM retelling of The Little Mermaid and there really were a lot of similarities to the tale we all know —only make it gay as well as a little bit kinky. *wink
Although, thinking about it, I wasn’t really sold on this Daddy/boy thingy they’ve got going on. It honestly only felt like they just liked to call each other Daddy and boy and had more or less vanilla sex and a not at all kinky relationship- and bedroom dynamic. Maybe at the very end.
Other than that this was a great and captivatingly told story and I loved the audio with Lance West being a new-to-me narrator. Intense and beautiful, with an older dragon-shifter who has yet to find his horde in order to be able to shift and a sassy merman-omega who’s supposed to be a virgin (which he so is not) and who’s also marked as the next sacrifice to the sea king.
Very entertaining plot with a lot of lovable side-characters. I can’t wait to dive into book #2.
This story, especially when they spoke about the mer-omegas’ powerful songs (which somehow always give me goosebumps), reminded me so much of To Kill a Kingdom, which I loved to pieces - even both the male narrators sounded similar. So I guess this books gets a tiny bit of extra credit bc my heart demanded it. You know, because the memory of a beloved book makes you feel all gooey inside.
*************
Heron Manor Series
Book 1 - Omega from the Ocean - 4.25 stars
Book 2 - Omega from the Beach - audio tbr
This is an MM retelling of The Little Mermaid and there really were a lot of similarities to the tale we all know —only make it gay as well as a little bit kinky. *wink
Although, thinking about it, I wasn’t really sold on this Daddy/boy thingy they’ve got going on. It honestly only felt like they just liked to call each other Daddy and boy and had more or less vanilla sex and a not at all kinky relationship- and bedroom dynamic. Maybe at the very end.
Other than that this was a great and captivatingly told story and I loved the audio with Lance West being a new-to-me narrator. Intense and beautiful, with an older dragon-shifter who has yet to find his horde in order to be able to shift and a sassy merman-omega who’s supposed to be a virgin (which he so is not) and who’s also marked as the next sacrifice to the sea king.
Very entertaining plot with a lot of lovable side-characters. I can’t wait to dive into book #2.
This story, especially when they spoke about the mer-omegas’ powerful songs (which somehow always give me goosebumps), reminded me so much of To Kill a Kingdom, which I loved to pieces - even both the male narrators sounded similar. So I guess this books gets a tiny bit of extra credit bc my heart demanded it. You know, because the memory of a beloved book makes you feel all gooey inside.
*************
Heron Manor Series
Book 1 - Omega from the Ocean - 4.25 stars
Book 2 - Omega from the Beach - audio tbr
July 15, 2019
2.5 stars
This started out quite good. And when I was halfway I really wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen. But slowly I got a little tired of this book. There was just so much going on! The action didn’t stop for one moment. And while that could be interesting in a book sometimes, it also exhausts me, as it did here.
Seafoam is a merman. He and his fellow mermen are being repressed by the Sea King. Seafoam is promised as a sacrifice to the Sea King when he turns 21 in 2 months’ time. So Seafoam goes out to shore and parties with the frat boys in the frat house on the beach. It is there that he learns to speak English and decides to go by the name of Jack.
When Jack returns to the sea one evening, he meets Peter. Peter is a dragon shifter and lives on the beach. He’s been interested in mermen his entire life, but never saw one. And now he has found Jack. The two are immediately drawn to each other and when Peter invites Jack into his home, Jack follows him.
Jack asks Peter if he can be his for one night, but Peter wants more. He has a feeling Jack is his mate, and doesn’t want to let him go. But Jack has to go back or the Sea King will hurt his father and brother….
I really liked the story at first, when Jack and Peter met and got to know each other. But it got a little off the rails when Jack went back to the sea and fought the Sea King for the first time, bringing his brother and two friends back to shore. After that the story got a little crowded and I had trouble keeping up. With Arch the heron shifter, the romance between Seahorse and Orca, with Peter still not being able to shift, and his mothers, the dragon shifters. It was all a bit too much for me.
What also bothered me was that the daddy kink felt very out of place here. I felt as if the author really wanted to add in some daddy kink even though it didn’t fit the story at all. There was enough going on without adding this too. And it wasn’t even real daddy kink imo. Jack just called Peter Daddy sometimes because Peter asked him to.
It was also kind of frustrating to read how Peter kept trying to find his hoard and tried to shift. I get that he had to find Jack/Seafoam first, but he kept trying to force the shift and that not only frustrated him, but me as a reader as well. I was fine with the moment it did happen, but not with all the stuff leading up to that moment.
There were also some things that puzzled me and were never addressed. Like when Jack got dragged away by the ocean to end up in Heron Manor and suddenly his brother and his friends were there too. It was a 2 hour drive, how did they get there? And why were they there? That was strange.
So while this was an interesting story, it had too much going on for me to really love it. I liked it enough, but won’t continue with the series if all the books feel like they’re on speed.
This started out quite good. And when I was halfway I really wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen. But slowly I got a little tired of this book. There was just so much going on! The action didn’t stop for one moment. And while that could be interesting in a book sometimes, it also exhausts me, as it did here.
Seafoam is a merman. He and his fellow mermen are being repressed by the Sea King. Seafoam is promised as a sacrifice to the Sea King when he turns 21 in 2 months’ time. So Seafoam goes out to shore and parties with the frat boys in the frat house on the beach. It is there that he learns to speak English and decides to go by the name of Jack.
When Jack returns to the sea one evening, he meets Peter. Peter is a dragon shifter and lives on the beach. He’s been interested in mermen his entire life, but never saw one. And now he has found Jack. The two are immediately drawn to each other and when Peter invites Jack into his home, Jack follows him.
Jack asks Peter if he can be his for one night, but Peter wants more. He has a feeling Jack is his mate, and doesn’t want to let him go. But Jack has to go back or the Sea King will hurt his father and brother….
I really liked the story at first, when Jack and Peter met and got to know each other. But it got a little off the rails when Jack went back to the sea and fought the Sea King for the first time, bringing his brother and two friends back to shore. After that the story got a little crowded and I had trouble keeping up. With Arch the heron shifter, the romance between Seahorse and Orca, with Peter still not being able to shift, and his mothers, the dragon shifters. It was all a bit too much for me.
What also bothered me was that the daddy kink felt very out of place here. I felt as if the author really wanted to add in some daddy kink even though it didn’t fit the story at all. There was enough going on without adding this too. And it wasn’t even real daddy kink imo. Jack just called Peter Daddy sometimes because Peter asked him to.
It was also kind of frustrating to read how Peter kept trying to find his hoard and tried to shift. I get that he had to find Jack/Seafoam first, but he kept trying to force the shift and that not only frustrated him, but me as a reader as well. I was fine with the moment it did happen, but not with all the stuff leading up to that moment.
There were also some things that puzzled me and were never addressed. Like when Jack got dragged away by the ocean to end up in Heron Manor and suddenly his brother and his friends were there too. It was a 2 hour drive, how did they get there? And why were they there? That was strange.
So while this was an interesting story, it had too much going on for me to really love it. I liked it enough, but won’t continue with the series if all the books feel like they’re on speed.
May 18, 2023
Reread/Relisten: May 2023
in honor of Seahorse's book coming out on Audio this week I had to give this book a reread so i knew what was going on since book two isn't a standalone.
i am interested in seeing where book two will take us with Orca and Seahorse!
3.5 stars: November 2022
This was an interesting read, I haven’t read a merman book before so this was new for me. I enjoyed it more than I thought. Mermen and Dragons loved it.
The narration was good for the book, my first time with Lance West. I noticed he narrates a few of Amy Bellows books so I am glad I liked his narrations…hopefully that continues haha.
Also this was a Little Mermaid retelling, I could see it with the beginning, but not going to lie I don’t remember much of the Little Mermaid haha just what the Disney ride has shown me haha it’s been years since I have watched the movie haha
I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!
in honor of Seahorse's book coming out on Audio this week I had to give this book a reread so i knew what was going on since book two isn't a standalone.
i am interested in seeing where book two will take us with Orca and Seahorse!
3.5 stars: November 2022
This was an interesting read, I haven’t read a merman book before so this was new for me. I enjoyed it more than I thought. Mermen and Dragons loved it.
The narration was good for the book, my first time with Lance West. I noticed he narrates a few of Amy Bellows books so I am glad I liked his narrations…hopefully that continues haha.
Also this was a Little Mermaid retelling, I could see it with the beginning, but not going to lie I don’t remember much of the Little Mermaid haha just what the Disney ride has shown me haha it’s been years since I have watched the movie haha
I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!
April 22, 2021
3.5 stars
I read this after reading the Pebble Gifters books, which I adore. While I liked the characters and the story kept my interest, the plot seemed a bit scattered and there were things that just didn't make sense or seemed contradictory to previous statements/rules.
I like this world and enjoyed the secondary characters in the story so I would read the next story in the series when it comes out.
I read this after reading the Pebble Gifters books, which I adore. While I liked the characters and the story kept my interest, the plot seemed a bit scattered and there were things that just didn't make sense or seemed contradictory to previous statements/rules.
I like this world and enjoyed the secondary characters in the story so I would read the next story in the series when it comes out.
July 14, 2019
Peter and Jack
A story with strong feelings, beautiful magic, stunning creatures, alpha’s and omegas and passionate songs.
The Sea King is evil, for his own power he misuses the beautiful creatures of the sea.
Jack, a merman, often slips away to the land to party and have great sex.
On his way he always passes by ‘his prince’ house, and fantasize about being with him.
After the party on his way back to the ocean while he shifts back into his merman he doesn’t know Peter ‘his prince’ sees him shifting.
Peter is perplexed, always wondering if mermen were real. Now he meets the most gorgeous merman.
So here their story begins. And my goodness there is a story to tell.
Peter is a dragon but never met his real dragon, always missing a piece to shift. It seems Jack is one of the missing pieces.
They start something intense, Peter loves to dominate and Jack needs to be dominated and loved by a Daddy, both understand they belong to each other.
When it becomes more clear that the Sea King has to be destroyed to free the ‘people’ of the ocean, all the beautiful creatures we meet have an important place in this mission.
It was a stunning, complex story, with a clever plot. It had a lot of sexiness and sweetness, it was emotional, magical, it had angst with devastating effects.
There are some special highlight moments and those were very impressive. The fantasy level was inventive and amazingly put down. Look at the cover and you understand how gorgeous Jack is. This journey is not over, there is no cliff but it’s not over yet.
A story with strong feelings, beautiful magic, stunning creatures, alpha’s and omegas and passionate songs.
The Sea King is evil, for his own power he misuses the beautiful creatures of the sea.
Jack, a merman, often slips away to the land to party and have great sex.
On his way he always passes by ‘his prince’ house, and fantasize about being with him.
After the party on his way back to the ocean while he shifts back into his merman he doesn’t know Peter ‘his prince’ sees him shifting.
Peter is perplexed, always wondering if mermen were real. Now he meets the most gorgeous merman.
So here their story begins. And my goodness there is a story to tell.
Peter is a dragon but never met his real dragon, always missing a piece to shift. It seems Jack is one of the missing pieces.
They start something intense, Peter loves to dominate and Jack needs to be dominated and loved by a Daddy, both understand they belong to each other.
When it becomes more clear that the Sea King has to be destroyed to free the ‘people’ of the ocean, all the beautiful creatures we meet have an important place in this mission.
It was a stunning, complex story, with a clever plot. It had a lot of sexiness and sweetness, it was emotional, magical, it had angst with devastating effects.
There are some special highlight moments and those were very impressive. The fantasy level was inventive and amazingly put down. Look at the cover and you understand how gorgeous Jack is. This journey is not over, there is no cliff but it’s not over yet.
September 25, 2022
DNF 16%
Mrmmmm I'm just not feeling 'age gap' right now.
Mrmmmm I'm just not feeling 'age gap' right now.
December 21, 2022
I don't know how to rate this one
I loved the legend and the myths and the action scene also plot
I have mixed feelings about the mcs, and also I hate the ending caused it left us in the dark kinda like a cliffhanger it fucking sucks bruh.
I feel dissatisfied when I finished this.
The book felt too wordy and OTT this time
Usually i don't mind those but now In this book I do, idk why.
Lance west narration were pretty good ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5
I loved the legend and the myths and the action scene also plot
I have mixed feelings about the mcs, and also I hate the ending caused it left us in the dark kinda like a cliffhanger it fucking sucks bruh.
I feel dissatisfied when I finished this.
The book felt too wordy and OTT this time
Usually i don't mind those but now In this book I do, idk why.
Lance west narration were pretty good ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5
January 22, 2020
Absolutely captivating!
This was so much more than I expected. Retelling of The Little Mermaid, in its original form, not the Disney version. I know it’s more gruesome and sad than the Disney version and I wasn’t sure I was up to it for the retelling here. Well, this was smack dab in the middle sort of. Definitely less gruesome or sad.
Kinda awesome actually because it wasn’t an alpha swooping in to rescue the omega. But rather, the omega standing up and rescuing himself. And I loved it! Also, mermen and dragons? I didn’t know it was what I needed! 😜
This was so much more than I expected. Retelling of The Little Mermaid, in its original form, not the Disney version. I know it’s more gruesome and sad than the Disney version and I wasn’t sure I was up to it for the retelling here. Well, this was smack dab in the middle sort of. Definitely less gruesome or sad.
Kinda awesome actually because it wasn’t an alpha swooping in to rescue the omega. But rather, the omega standing up and rescuing himself. And I loved it! Also, mermen and dragons? I didn’t know it was what I needed! 😜
July 6, 2019
3.75 stars. I was delighted to find a complex story that expanded beyond the typical omagaverse mpreg romance. The world and merfolk lore Amy Bellows created for us was interesting and exciting. With dragon shifters, songs of war, and magical battles. Basically Jack is a merman who falls in love with a dragon shifter on land. His community of mermen are ruled by the magical equivalent of an evil pimp called the SeaKing who abuses and exploits the mermen in exchange of protection. Jack and his alpha Peter must fight tooth and scale to overcome the SeaKing and be together.
I liked the language barrier and cultural differences AB created between merfolk and humans. Not only was it appropriate but it gave me Little Mermaid flashbacks.
As much as I enjoyed the elobrate mer-heirchy and magical battles this plot was not without its holes. Like swiss cheese levels. I also disliked the small role Peter's dragon form had. There were some dull moments and the whole Daddy play advertised in the blurb was minimal. I don't care for that particular kink, but I know people who do will be disappointed by that.
I liked the language barrier and cultural differences AB created between merfolk and humans. Not only was it appropriate but it gave me Little Mermaid flashbacks.
As much as I enjoyed the elobrate mer-heirchy and magical battles this plot was not without its holes. Like swiss cheese levels. I also disliked the small role Peter's dragon form had. There were some dull moments and the whole Daddy play advertised in the blurb was minimal. I don't care for that particular kink, but I know people who do will be disappointed by that.
February 14, 2020
Mer 🧜🏼♂️
So I decided to give this series a go after reading her ‘Alaskan Pebble Gifters’ series, which I liked. While I did like this one, it just didn’t hold my interest as the other series did. I know, merman right?!? Well, for me all was okay except for the speed/flow of the story. All in all, it was a different take on things, which I did enjoy :)
So I decided to give this series a go after reading her ‘Alaskan Pebble Gifters’ series, which I liked. While I did like this one, it just didn’t hold my interest as the other series did. I know, merman right?!? Well, for me all was okay except for the speed/flow of the story. All in all, it was a different take on things, which I did enjoy :)
August 28, 2020
4.25 Stars
When I finished the 3rd book of the Penguin/Polar Bear shifter series I noticed the small print on the cover that mentioned it took place in an established 'verse and decided to go back and start those.
I am not disappointed. See, for every moment that is sweet and fluffy in Anchorage I kinda wished for something more, something a little edgier, something with a bite. That's exactly what we get here. Yes, there's a HEA but it's hard-fought and hard-won and doesn't come without sacrifice.
Major props for the references to the original Little Mermaid, with a couple adorable shout-outs to the Disney version. (Best friend named Flounder, the scene with the fork and all the fascination Seafoam/Jack had for learning what every gadget was named and what it did.)
Truly a great read and I'm excited to start the next one in this series due to that preview and Amy's author's note. Seems like another, darker and less fluffy tale with struggle to HEA - and I'm here for that.
Edited to Add: AND ONCE AGAIN BOOK 2 ISN'T AVAILABLE! It's not even listed on the series page. *cries* Why does this keep happening to me? Seriously, given how some of these characters showed up in Pebble 2, specifically Seahorse - with a HUGE contribution, Heron 2 really should have come out first...especially before Pebble 3 came out because, again, we get quite a few of these characters there and some more of the mythology that should have been explained first by having Heron 2 first!!
When I finished the 3rd book of the Penguin/Polar Bear shifter series I noticed the small print on the cover that mentioned it took place in an established 'verse and decided to go back and start those.
I am not disappointed. See, for every moment that is sweet and fluffy in Anchorage I kinda wished for something more, something a little edgier, something with a bite. That's exactly what we get here. Yes, there's a HEA but it's hard-fought and hard-won and doesn't come without sacrifice.
Major props for the references to the original Little Mermaid, with a couple adorable shout-outs to the Disney version. (Best friend named Flounder, the scene with the fork and all the fascination Seafoam/Jack had for learning what every gadget was named and what it did.)
Truly a great read and I'm excited to start the next one in this series due to that preview and Amy's author's note. Seems like another, darker and less fluffy tale with struggle to HEA - and I'm here for that.
Edited to Add: AND ONCE AGAIN BOOK 2 ISN'T AVAILABLE! It's not even listed on the series page. *cries* Why does this keep happening to me? Seriously, given how some of these characters showed up in Pebble 2, specifically Seahorse - with a HUGE contribution, Heron 2 really should have come out first...especially before Pebble 3 came out because, again, we get quite a few of these characters there and some more of the mythology that should have been explained first by having Heron 2 first!!
July 29, 2019
3/5
It got an interesting lore and character. However the daddy kink seems out of place for me. Eh. The plot kind of lost me half way through.
It got an interesting lore and character. However the daddy kink seems out of place for me. Eh. The plot kind of lost me half way through.
October 10, 2021
Update: Audio reviewed on Oct 10, 2021
I enjoyed listening Lance West brilliantly narrate Omega from the Ocean.
His voice and pacing was clear , natural and very pleasing. He delivery was convincing , passionate, emotional and funny .
This was my first audio book performed by Lance West.
Impressive and mesmerizing read
When I read the blurb, I thought I was going to read an adult version of The Little Mermaid but I should have known better . Amy Bellows' stories aren't plain old fairy tales reimagined.
Omega From the Ocean is an emotionally resonant , original and playful story forged from the ground up. An entire new world building based on Mythology , Folklore and Urban Legends. of many different cultures.
Dragons, Mermen , Mermaids, Sea Kings, Sea Monsters and Herons are some of the legendary creatures ,she have built a new Lore around . She added Magic and Shapeshifting . Plus, Mpreg, Knotting and lite Daddy kink. She didn't stop there , she too devised an unique and original form of communication for Sea Creatures.
A new universe that feels real , logical and organically grown. Ms. Bellows have a way to vividly describe feeling, situations and reactions in such a way they become film in your mind. Yes, it felt as I was watching a movie instead of reading a book.
This is a story that tied me up in knots, broke me down, got me beyond furious , made me laugh and giggle like a loon , while bringing to knees in love and sorrow.
It has some of the most rousing , provoking and hot sexually explicit scenes I have read . I am addicted to her style of writing.
The plotline and subplots are many and varied in intensity, darkness and intrigue. The dialogue and banter is witty at times snarky and informative , moving the narrative along and giving us details in an intuitive and effective way.
The heroes of this story are Jack a Merman and Peter a Dragon Two lovable and strong MC. Their journey to HEA is paved with lots of challenges. At the end of this book, they find happiness ; yet author, left it open in such a way to suggest their story continues in the upcoming books.
This book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger as the secondary characters are as important and intriguing as the MC .
Looking forward reading book 2 of this new and exciting series of interconnected stories.
I don't have words to accurately describe the profound beauty, originality and brilliance of this story and the emotions that provokes.
I enjoyed listening Lance West brilliantly narrate Omega from the Ocean.
His voice and pacing was clear , natural and very pleasing. He delivery was convincing , passionate, emotional and funny .
This was my first audio book performed by Lance West.
Impressive and mesmerizing read
When I read the blurb, I thought I was going to read an adult version of The Little Mermaid but I should have known better . Amy Bellows' stories aren't plain old fairy tales reimagined.
Omega From the Ocean is an emotionally resonant , original and playful story forged from the ground up. An entire new world building based on Mythology , Folklore and Urban Legends. of many different cultures.
Dragons, Mermen , Mermaids, Sea Kings, Sea Monsters and Herons are some of the legendary creatures ,she have built a new Lore around . She added Magic and Shapeshifting . Plus, Mpreg, Knotting and lite Daddy kink. She didn't stop there , she too devised an unique and original form of communication for Sea Creatures.
A new universe that feels real , logical and organically grown. Ms. Bellows have a way to vividly describe feeling, situations and reactions in such a way they become film in your mind. Yes, it felt as I was watching a movie instead of reading a book.
This is a story that tied me up in knots, broke me down, got me beyond furious , made me laugh and giggle like a loon , while bringing to knees in love and sorrow.
It has some of the most rousing , provoking and hot sexually explicit scenes I have read . I am addicted to her style of writing.
The plotline and subplots are many and varied in intensity, darkness and intrigue. The dialogue and banter is witty at times snarky and informative , moving the narrative along and giving us details in an intuitive and effective way.
The heroes of this story are Jack a Merman and Peter a Dragon Two lovable and strong MC. Their journey to HEA is paved with lots of challenges. At the end of this book, they find happiness ; yet author, left it open in such a way to suggest their story continues in the upcoming books.
This book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger as the secondary characters are as important and intriguing as the MC .
Looking forward reading book 2 of this new and exciting series of interconnected stories.
I don't have words to accurately describe the profound beauty, originality and brilliance of this story and the emotions that provokes.
December 9, 2019
I really like this version of The Little Mermaid. Or the twist of it. Who wouldn’t love dragons and mermaids??? But I love the little twists to it. A dragon without a hoard, a merman who is a little rebel. The characters are so good and fun, but deprived of being who they are, and wanting such a better life.
Jack has been singing for an alpha for a while. But it’s usually ending up a scream because he’s so angry no one wants him. And now even worse, he’s had to sacrifice himself to the Sea King, in order to save his family. But now, he’s found an alpha. One who wants him, one who is falling in love with him, but while happy about it, he’s sad because he knows his time is short. What’s worse, is Peter is finally starting to find himself with Jack, learning who he really is as well. And it’s all going to be taken away, unless they find a way to break the Sea King’s hold over everyone. But it’s not going to be an easy thing, especially when Jack’s family’s lives are on the line. And neither of them sure anything will stop the oppression.
I loved Jack. He’s just so damn adorable. I was laughing that he found out how to speak English in a frat house. Of all the places to learn….oh boy. Lol. But I get his wanting to experience life and different things. I get him wanting to leave the sea because of all that’s going on. Life underwater is cold and unfair and he just wants to be happy. And for a while, he can forget and just live amongst people. Meeting Peter, just made things that much better. He finally found a better purpose for his life. He found someone who made life seem so much better. Someone who loved him for him. And Peter finally being able to find himself to a point. It’s a match made in heaven. It’s fate. I loved these two so much. Both searching so hard for something and finding it each other. They are so sweet and just ...sigh...yeah. I’m a sap.
This is such a good story and I’m curious where the next book will lead things. I hope you guys like it too.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
Jack has been singing for an alpha for a while. But it’s usually ending up a scream because he’s so angry no one wants him. And now even worse, he’s had to sacrifice himself to the Sea King, in order to save his family. But now, he’s found an alpha. One who wants him, one who is falling in love with him, but while happy about it, he’s sad because he knows his time is short. What’s worse, is Peter is finally starting to find himself with Jack, learning who he really is as well. And it’s all going to be taken away, unless they find a way to break the Sea King’s hold over everyone. But it’s not going to be an easy thing, especially when Jack’s family’s lives are on the line. And neither of them sure anything will stop the oppression.
I loved Jack. He’s just so damn adorable. I was laughing that he found out how to speak English in a frat house. Of all the places to learn….oh boy. Lol. But I get his wanting to experience life and different things. I get him wanting to leave the sea because of all that’s going on. Life underwater is cold and unfair and he just wants to be happy. And for a while, he can forget and just live amongst people. Meeting Peter, just made things that much better. He finally found a better purpose for his life. He found someone who made life seem so much better. Someone who loved him for him. And Peter finally being able to find himself to a point. It’s a match made in heaven. It’s fate. I loved these two so much. Both searching so hard for something and finding it each other. They are so sweet and just ...sigh...yeah. I’m a sap.
This is such a good story and I’m curious where the next book will lead things. I hope you guys like it too.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
July 9, 2019
Oh gosh, I loved this story and it was so much more than I ever thought it would be. There is a lot of world building going on too. Jack isn’t very happy with the hand he has been dealt with in life and in seeking some pleasure during his waiting for the inevitable and has admired Peter from afar, never thinking he would get to meet his prince. Peter has struggled with his dragon side, never finding his hoard but there have been a few times he thought he had it though.
I loved the Peter just wanted to take care of Jack no matter what, which isn’t something Jack has had in a long time. His past “hoards” end up being what was needed for Jack and the others to defeat the Sea King and gain their freedom, so they were meant to be for his mate to be free. I loved their wonder at being mates and after Peter’s first hesitation (mostly caused by his incomplete connection to his dragon) they don’t even question what is happening and run full speed ahead.
I felt for Jack because he has felt so isolated for so long he’s just wiling away the time but Peter gives him a reason to live and for the others to fight. I loved most of the other mermen too. It was horrible that they didn’t actually know the truth about their past or the songs to help them but the mermaids and time will help heal that.
And I have to bring this up because it pulled at my heartstrings soo much. The preview for book two, ohh no poor Seahorse. It does look like the rest of the series is going to go in a bit different direction than this book (not that that is a bad thing) just not what I was expecting. I guess I’ll just have to read it to find out how it all goes.
I received an ARC of this book and am giving an honest review.
I loved the Peter just wanted to take care of Jack no matter what, which isn’t something Jack has had in a long time. His past “hoards” end up being what was needed for Jack and the others to defeat the Sea King and gain their freedom, so they were meant to be for his mate to be free. I loved their wonder at being mates and after Peter’s first hesitation (mostly caused by his incomplete connection to his dragon) they don’t even question what is happening and run full speed ahead.
I felt for Jack because he has felt so isolated for so long he’s just wiling away the time but Peter gives him a reason to live and for the others to fight. I loved most of the other mermen too. It was horrible that they didn’t actually know the truth about their past or the songs to help them but the mermaids and time will help heal that.
And I have to bring this up because it pulled at my heartstrings soo much. The preview for book two, ohh no poor Seahorse. It does look like the rest of the series is going to go in a bit different direction than this book (not that that is a bad thing) just not what I was expecting. I guess I’ll just have to read it to find out how it all goes.
I received an ARC of this book and am giving an honest review.
July 29, 2019
This was such an exciting book, the world building was beyond fantastic for the amount of actual pages in the book. It was funny and sexy, there was excitement and anguish, it was a win all around in my book.
There were still some things that I felt were unanswered in the end but nothing that detoured me from enjoying the book.
I love sex. It’s my favorite. But sex has nothing on a churro.
“Did you know that every ounce of the power in the Sea King’s orb comes from the songs you sing every night? You’re mighty. And you don’t have to give him the best, brightest part of yourselves anymore, only to be left to scream at the skies in heartbreak. You’re worth more than that. Your power belongs to you. And I want you to decide how to use it.” This crowd is made of the scrappiest of the omegas—the ones who have songs like mine, the kind no alpha wants to hear. These omegas have been roughed up by Urchin and ignored as they aged. They’re the omegas the Sea King has deemed “worthless.”
There were still some things that I felt were unanswered in the end but nothing that detoured me from enjoying the book.
I love sex. It’s my favorite. But sex has nothing on a churro.
“Did you know that every ounce of the power in the Sea King’s orb comes from the songs you sing every night? You’re mighty. And you don’t have to give him the best, brightest part of yourselves anymore, only to be left to scream at the skies in heartbreak. You’re worth more than that. Your power belongs to you. And I want you to decide how to use it.” This crowd is made of the scrappiest of the omegas—the ones who have songs like mine, the kind no alpha wants to hear. These omegas have been roughed up by Urchin and ignored as they aged. They’re the omegas the Sea King has deemed “worthless.”
June 25, 2024
I read this book as part of a challenge, and well the things I do for challenges ;-)
I love fairytale retellings and I love the little mermaid, so this should have been perfect. It gave a good attempt anyway. The idea and setting are unique and the story is easy to read and flows.
I just think a little less would have been better. There is just too much going on:
Dragon alphas, merfolk, confusing merfolk history, even more confusing heron shifter background story, knotting/mating, hatching (...) I was helplessly confused.
I love fairytale retellings and I love the little mermaid, so this should have been perfect. It gave a good attempt anyway. The idea and setting are unique and the story is easy to read and flows.
I just think a little less would have been better. There is just too much going on:
Dragon alphas, merfolk, confusing merfolk history, even more confusing heron shifter background story, knotting/mating, hatching (...) I was helplessly confused.
July 28, 2019
Despite the "terrible" blurb, I was bored and wanted to give this book a chance after having discarded it. I saw the number of chapters and told myself "Great, about +58 chapters, it will occupy me the whole evening..." but after having read the first 10 chapters in half an hour, I understood that it was not what I bargained for. The chapters are too short and I don't understand the logic in them. In third person a lot of extra gibberish would have been avoided and the story would have maybe made a little more sense, been a little bit more "catchy" because now it feels cheap. I have always the same critiques for those writing fantasy. When you write high or low fantasy you must be the masters of your stories, be concise with your ramblings, generous with your development and twists, and know the limits of your universes, don't write "half-fantasy". There is no such a thing like half-fantasy yet this is nothing but half-fantasy. Some would call it "moderate", I'd call it "unpolished", "unripe", "botched"... This story deserves more work, more expertise, more magic, more development and, definitely, another kind of narration... and a more rational division for the chapters because the world of the story is undefined, it's a lot of information with no cohesion, and the personalities of the characters deserve a little bit more of "character".
I read another book of this author before "The Bookmobile Baby" or something like that. I don't remember a tad about the story if not the title when I saw it in my reads’ list… for a memorable book, look somewhere else!
I rate it 2 stars though and I am being too generous because I dropped it before the chapter 20. Too bad, I liked Peter a lot. Salt-and-pepper-haired daddies are just fine with me in fiction.
And once again I give a round of applause to all the persons who rate such books 5 stars. It's because of you that people like me, people who do really enjoy great books, can't find something good to read!
I read another book of this author before "The Bookmobile Baby" or something like that. I don't remember a tad about the story if not the title when I saw it in my reads’ list… for a memorable book, look somewhere else!
I rate it 2 stars though and I am being too generous because I dropped it before the chapter 20. Too bad, I liked Peter a lot. Salt-and-pepper-haired daddies are just fine with me in fiction.
And once again I give a round of applause to all the persons who rate such books 5 stars. It's because of you that people like me, people who do really enjoy great books, can't find something good to read!
November 10, 2019
Honestly, I’m a little surprised by how much I enjoyed Omega from the Ocean. I think it’s my first mpreg, I generally tend to avoid mpreg and shifter stories and I really avoid daddy kink. That said, I love merfolk and I love dragons so after reading jazmin’s enthusiastic review and discovering it was KU, I decided to give this one a go and I’m really glad that I did.
In addition to being my first mpreg, I believe this was also my first full length alpha and omega as well as my first fated mates story. I wouldn’t say I hate those concepts, but like daddy kink, none of them really appeal to me. All of those elements had me cringing a bit at times and hoo boy, was this insta-love! Yikes. And yet, in spite of those things, I really enjoyed myself. The story was surprisingly and sweetly romantic. It was also heartbreaking at times and I found myself on the edge of tears multiple times.
Another thing that was a bit of a distraction was that the story felt scattered at times, like it tried to go in too many directions or do too much. But again, I was able to overlook that because I was having so much fun with it.
Omega from the Ocean is the first in the series but I was satisfied with the way it ended. If the next is the series was already out, I would definitely pick it up right away, but because it’s not and because I am content with how this book ended, I may or may not come back to the series.
3.5 stars.
In addition to being my first mpreg, I believe this was also my first full length alpha and omega as well as my first fated mates story. I wouldn’t say I hate those concepts, but like daddy kink, none of them really appeal to me. All of those elements had me cringing a bit at times and hoo boy, was this insta-love! Yikes. And yet, in spite of those things, I really enjoyed myself. The story was surprisingly and sweetly romantic. It was also heartbreaking at times and I found myself on the edge of tears multiple times.
Another thing that was a bit of a distraction was that the story felt scattered at times, like it tried to go in too many directions or do too much. But again, I was able to overlook that because I was having so much fun with it.
Omega from the Ocean is the first in the series but I was satisfied with the way it ended. If the next is the series was already out, I would definitely pick it up right away, but because it’s not and because I am content with how this book ended, I may or may not come back to the series.
3.5 stars.
July 13, 2019
*A copy was provided by the author for free in exchange for an honest review*
I really loved this. It's felt like a fresh change for me. I don't read many merman books for some reason. Not sure why. But this makes me think I should read more. I really liked Seafoam aka Jack and seeing his journey into learning he has a purpose and a worth. Peter was great for him. I like the mix of merman and dragon shifter. I love how everything from Peter's past came together and clicked into place once he met Jack. I loved how all that tied together. The bigger plot was interesting and played out well. There was some turns that kept the stakes high. It's resolved pretty well so that works. The teaser for the next book in the series has me feeling a bit sad and that makes me interested in how the author is going to resolve it all so I'm for sure going to read it.
I really loved this. It's felt like a fresh change for me. I don't read many merman books for some reason. Not sure why. But this makes me think I should read more. I really liked Seafoam aka Jack and seeing his journey into learning he has a purpose and a worth. Peter was great for him. I like the mix of merman and dragon shifter. I love how everything from Peter's past came together and clicked into place once he met Jack. I loved how all that tied together. The bigger plot was interesting and played out well. There was some turns that kept the stakes high. It's resolved pretty well so that works. The teaser for the next book in the series has me feeling a bit sad and that makes me interested in how the author is going to resolve it all so I'm for sure going to read it.
July 20, 2019
I liked this to begin with but then it just got too messy and I got frustrated with some inconsistencies and the daddy kink which didn't really fit in with the story. Felt like the author just wanted to throw too much at us.
Read
July 16, 2019No rating DNF called it @50%
January 19, 2020
I had just finished reading Alaskan Pebble Gifters series when I came across Omega from the Ocean book being referred to. Well, since I had a chance to meet one of the mermen in A Nest for Ansel, I was very curious to know what had been going on with the merfolk. I had been warned this was a reconfiguration of The Little Mermaid, and since I had read the original, I knew it was going to be über-miserable because fairytales during that time, especially those written by Hans Christian Andersen, required boxes of Puffs Plus and an empty thirteen-gallon trash bag next to the bed. Fairytales weren’t cute back then. They were worse than cautionary tales, scaring you away from certain behaviors. You weren’t meant to be happy. Gah, and don’t even think about reading them late at night to your children!!
Seafoam is an omega merman who is to become a sacrifice to the Sea King when he reached the age of twenty-three. Who knows what happened to the previous such tributes to the Sea King? Nothing good because no one ever sees them alive again. So he’s ignoring the mandate that no merman was to approach the shore and interact with humans. Verboten! But Seafoam doesn’t care. His brother, Seahorse, is a healer, a midwife for the few omegas that were able to get pregnant. (Fertility was doled out to alpha mermen as a reward from the Sea King, and he was a frugal with that even less than he was with the warmth from his lair.)
Everything about the merman world is dark and cold. No one even remembers being warm. They work in darkness with little warmth until they die and turn into seafoam. In other words, life was more than sucky. It was bleak.
So to escape the fact that no alpha wants him, Seafoam wanders about the shore, visiting the Greek houses and having sex. He learns a bit of the English language. He lusts after a thirty-something guy whom he nicknames The Prince. He wants to meet him but is too scared to do so. So he spies on the human, gathering as much visuals so he can later masturbate and dream.
Weirdly enough, this guy is actually a dragon shifter… except he hasn’t ever shifted. He needs a hoard to do so. He needs an omega to bond, too. He can’t do either, and he and his mothers wonder if he has a terrible medical problem. Maybe. He is also obsessed by the myths of mermen and has come to this part of the world because he wishes to study the myths surrounding the mermen of Rixton. He has his degree(s) addressing this subject as well as tons of books. Perhaps he might actually find them...
Well, the two meet, and sparks fly, and the Sea King must die, and Peter still can’t find his inner dragon, and…
Well, there’s a lot to read.
Book length and pace: Definitely novel-length but not too long. The pace was just as it should. There were several places where I had to come up for air because of intensity! Gah! These were excruciating because I knew how painful the upcoming chapters would be, keeping in mind the usual nature of a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale. You WILL need to take a few breathers so be forewarned! I didn’t see any rushing, but at the very end, I really wished there had been some kind of an epilogue that was more than a day to two in the future for readership aftercare. But from what I gather, that’s for another book that won’t be out until she finishes another novel or two in the Alaskan Pebble Gifters series. No cliffhanger fortunately.
Characters: All of them were keepers! I was amazed on how many there were and how well they were fleshed out. Of course, the main characters are Seafoam (aka Jack [Daniels]!) and Peter, both who are extremely sympathetic. I appreciate the time it must have taken her to develop these two because they were some of the best I’ve seen in the past few years. But I can’t forget Peter’s mothers or all the mermen Amy Bellows introduced to us. Especially Moray! (What a cutey-pie! Can you imagine a cooing, baby mermale kept in a bucket of seawater? Way too cute!) I appreciated how well a reader could get into Jack’s and Peter’s heads. You WILL know these two inside and out! And it was so natural! One of the things I look for when it comes to any subgenre of romance is intimacy. This book has its moments, but the best was at the near-end, almost like aftercare for the reader because of the previous, highly intense fight for the future of freedom. Especially since Peter was able to bring his inner dragon out and finally realize what/who his hoard was. I can’t do it justice. Just go read it.
Hero/Hero interactions: Superb. Realistic. Without the usual I’m-afraid-to-tell-him stupid nonsense. If courage was required and action was necessary, then both of these characters presented themselves. There was a beautiful balance between humor and seriousness, and I appreciated the maturity level of both Jack and Peter whether alone or together. They had admirable qualities and did not shirk their responsibilities no matter the threat or cost. Better yet, I appreciated their interactions with the other characters in this book. I loved the levels in each personality as I continued to read. I won’t say it’s like an onion… maybe a bag of freshly made french fries? Hahahaha!! Jack does have a love for warm bread, french fries, and churros. And why not? The smells are so divine! It was fun watching him discover the physical world ashore, things we humans take for granted. Just as Peter felt. I loved being part of that experience.
World-Creation: All was quite elaborate and highly detailed. I discovered so much more when I reread it, I wondered how I could have missed it in the first place. (It’s not that unusual for me to read a book twice within a few days if I really liked it. Sometimes the excitement of the storytelling pushes my speed-reading to quickly, hence the rereading so that I don’t miss anything. I was surprised with all the mythos involved in this story told in a way that wasn’t like someone was banging me over the head with a two-by-four. The exposition was detailed but not distracting from the tale. Great woodcrafting!
Continuity and editing: Unfortunately, like other indie books, I still see a lot of punctuation errors. There were misspellings, missing words, and wrong words correctly spelled. Really could have used a clean-up editor. (I don’t know why anyone would allow a book so rife with mistakes to go live?) Oh well…
Realism: For the fairytale this book really is, I still found it so easy to suspend my disbelief. I also didn’t at all imagine any singing lobsters or over-friendly fish or psychotic chefs running around. Nor did I even think of Ol’ Hans either. But I will say that this story was intense. So intense that I had to put it down and give myself a break. (Especially when Peter negotiated his way out of the catacombs, only to discover he had unknowingly bartered away one of his own gestating children, much to his horror! That Sea King was certainly a bastard!) And when the final battle takes place, there will be deaths, maiming, and terrible injuries. No punches pulled. That is reality.
My recommendation? BUY IT! I can’t wait for any more books even close to this universe!
Seafoam is an omega merman who is to become a sacrifice to the Sea King when he reached the age of twenty-three. Who knows what happened to the previous such tributes to the Sea King? Nothing good because no one ever sees them alive again. So he’s ignoring the mandate that no merman was to approach the shore and interact with humans. Verboten! But Seafoam doesn’t care. His brother, Seahorse, is a healer, a midwife for the few omegas that were able to get pregnant. (Fertility was doled out to alpha mermen as a reward from the Sea King, and he was a frugal with that even less than he was with the warmth from his lair.)
Everything about the merman world is dark and cold. No one even remembers being warm. They work in darkness with little warmth until they die and turn into seafoam. In other words, life was more than sucky. It was bleak.
So to escape the fact that no alpha wants him, Seafoam wanders about the shore, visiting the Greek houses and having sex. He learns a bit of the English language. He lusts after a thirty-something guy whom he nicknames The Prince. He wants to meet him but is too scared to do so. So he spies on the human, gathering as much visuals so he can later masturbate and dream.
Weirdly enough, this guy is actually a dragon shifter… except he hasn’t ever shifted. He needs a hoard to do so. He needs an omega to bond, too. He can’t do either, and he and his mothers wonder if he has a terrible medical problem. Maybe. He is also obsessed by the myths of mermen and has come to this part of the world because he wishes to study the myths surrounding the mermen of Rixton. He has his degree(s) addressing this subject as well as tons of books. Perhaps he might actually find them...
Well, the two meet, and sparks fly, and the Sea King must die, and Peter still can’t find his inner dragon, and…
Well, there’s a lot to read.
Book length and pace: Definitely novel-length but not too long. The pace was just as it should. There were several places where I had to come up for air because of intensity! Gah! These were excruciating because I knew how painful the upcoming chapters would be, keeping in mind the usual nature of a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale. You WILL need to take a few breathers so be forewarned! I didn’t see any rushing, but at the very end, I really wished there had been some kind of an epilogue that was more than a day to two in the future for readership aftercare. But from what I gather, that’s for another book that won’t be out until she finishes another novel or two in the Alaskan Pebble Gifters series. No cliffhanger fortunately.
Characters: All of them were keepers! I was amazed on how many there were and how well they were fleshed out. Of course, the main characters are Seafoam (aka Jack [Daniels]!) and Peter, both who are extremely sympathetic. I appreciate the time it must have taken her to develop these two because they were some of the best I’ve seen in the past few years. But I can’t forget Peter’s mothers or all the mermen Amy Bellows introduced to us. Especially Moray! (What a cutey-pie! Can you imagine a cooing, baby mermale kept in a bucket of seawater? Way too cute!) I appreciated how well a reader could get into Jack’s and Peter’s heads. You WILL know these two inside and out! And it was so natural! One of the things I look for when it comes to any subgenre of romance is intimacy. This book has its moments, but the best was at the near-end, almost like aftercare for the reader because of the previous, highly intense fight for the future of freedom. Especially since Peter was able to bring his inner dragon out and finally realize what/who his hoard was. I can’t do it justice. Just go read it.
Hero/Hero interactions: Superb. Realistic. Without the usual I’m-afraid-to-tell-him stupid nonsense. If courage was required and action was necessary, then both of these characters presented themselves. There was a beautiful balance between humor and seriousness, and I appreciated the maturity level of both Jack and Peter whether alone or together. They had admirable qualities and did not shirk their responsibilities no matter the threat or cost. Better yet, I appreciated their interactions with the other characters in this book. I loved the levels in each personality as I continued to read. I won’t say it’s like an onion… maybe a bag of freshly made french fries? Hahahaha!! Jack does have a love for warm bread, french fries, and churros. And why not? The smells are so divine! It was fun watching him discover the physical world ashore, things we humans take for granted. Just as Peter felt. I loved being part of that experience.
World-Creation: All was quite elaborate and highly detailed. I discovered so much more when I reread it, I wondered how I could have missed it in the first place. (It’s not that unusual for me to read a book twice within a few days if I really liked it. Sometimes the excitement of the storytelling pushes my speed-reading to quickly, hence the rereading so that I don’t miss anything. I was surprised with all the mythos involved in this story told in a way that wasn’t like someone was banging me over the head with a two-by-four. The exposition was detailed but not distracting from the tale. Great woodcrafting!
Continuity and editing: Unfortunately, like other indie books, I still see a lot of punctuation errors. There were misspellings, missing words, and wrong words correctly spelled. Really could have used a clean-up editor. (I don’t know why anyone would allow a book so rife with mistakes to go live?) Oh well…
Realism: For the fairytale this book really is, I still found it so easy to suspend my disbelief. I also didn’t at all imagine any singing lobsters or over-friendly fish or psychotic chefs running around. Nor did I even think of Ol’ Hans either. But I will say that this story was intense. So intense that I had to put it down and give myself a break. (Especially when Peter negotiated his way out of the catacombs, only to discover he had unknowingly bartered away one of his own gestating children, much to his horror! That Sea King was certainly a bastard!) And when the final battle takes place, there will be deaths, maiming, and terrible injuries. No punches pulled. That is reality.
My recommendation? BUY IT! I can’t wait for any more books even close to this universe!
October 15, 2021
Really 4 1/2 stars
Tenderfoot (Noun): a newcomer in a comparatively rough region. Since mermen don’t normally have feet, can one call a merman a tenderfoot? Perhaps he’s just a fish out of water, but Jack is the quintessential twink. Jack’s a babe in the woods who’s curious about life above the surface and the tale of this mismatched pair starts out as a joyous flight of fancy. And it’s very clear that the two MCs here fancy each other.
But…. My chums, this is also a bit of a bait and switch. While the opening chapters are a happy go lucky horny twink tale, the story soon takes a darker and colder turn. Just below the surface, this is a much bleaker, more complex tale. The Sea King has somehow subjugated the mermen, broken their spirit and is exploiting them, regularly demanding tribute. That Jack is destined to be part of that tribute in two months just ups those stakes.
The world building here is terrific and we get to meet various types of dragons, see life above the surface from a fresh new perspective and suffer along with a dragon shifter who just can’t seem to find what’s necessary to allow him to shift.
There is a happy ending for our main characters here but only after a hard-won victory and it doesn’t come without sacrifices. While that which doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, in this case it makes for a more satisfying story. But it’s also such a dark story that I don’t see it becoming one of my frequent repeats. In a way that’s a real shame, as the innocence and newness that we get when discovering life above the surface through Jack’s eyes are some of the most light-hearted moments I’ve encountered in a while.
Narrator Lance West (in what I believe to be his debut performance) does a good job with overall pacing and giving each character their distinctive vocal identities. While Jack’s (Seafoam’s) voice conveys that he may not be a full-on brat, he’s pretty high on the Sassy Spectrum. Peter, the pushing 40 Dragon shifter, is suitably measured when compared to Jack and the two make a good contrast.
Among the more minor characters, Arch, the heron shifter, has a suitably world weary/ironic (arch?) tone. Orca’s voice suits his character after we get to know him a bit. It did strike an odd note when the narrator first assumed his deepest voice for Orca. What made it odd was that Orca wasn’t speaking the dialogue just signing it. (Who knew mermen used a variation on ASL?). As Orca’s background becomes more well explained, the voice does seem to fit him more. Lance does a reasonably good job with both male and female voices though his naturally youthful voice makes a few of the characters, (particularly Peter’s two moms) younger than they’re described… but then how old is old, when you’re a dragon?
Overall, I thought that this was a fine adventure. While it wasn’t exactly what I expected from the book blurb, I enjoyed it. It does look to be the first in a series and I’m hoping that in later volumes we’ll be able to see these shifters in a lighter adventure.
***Note: I am voluntarily reviewing this after receiving a complimentary copy ***
Tenderfoot (Noun): a newcomer in a comparatively rough region. Since mermen don’t normally have feet, can one call a merman a tenderfoot? Perhaps he’s just a fish out of water, but Jack is the quintessential twink. Jack’s a babe in the woods who’s curious about life above the surface and the tale of this mismatched pair starts out as a joyous flight of fancy. And it’s very clear that the two MCs here fancy each other.
But…. My chums, this is also a bit of a bait and switch. While the opening chapters are a happy go lucky horny twink tale, the story soon takes a darker and colder turn. Just below the surface, this is a much bleaker, more complex tale. The Sea King has somehow subjugated the mermen, broken their spirit and is exploiting them, regularly demanding tribute. That Jack is destined to be part of that tribute in two months just ups those stakes.
The world building here is terrific and we get to meet various types of dragons, see life above the surface from a fresh new perspective and suffer along with a dragon shifter who just can’t seem to find what’s necessary to allow him to shift.
There is a happy ending for our main characters here but only after a hard-won victory and it doesn’t come without sacrifices. While that which doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, in this case it makes for a more satisfying story. But it’s also such a dark story that I don’t see it becoming one of my frequent repeats. In a way that’s a real shame, as the innocence and newness that we get when discovering life above the surface through Jack’s eyes are some of the most light-hearted moments I’ve encountered in a while.
Narrator Lance West (in what I believe to be his debut performance) does a good job with overall pacing and giving each character their distinctive vocal identities. While Jack’s (Seafoam’s) voice conveys that he may not be a full-on brat, he’s pretty high on the Sassy Spectrum. Peter, the pushing 40 Dragon shifter, is suitably measured when compared to Jack and the two make a good contrast.
Among the more minor characters, Arch, the heron shifter, has a suitably world weary/ironic (arch?) tone. Orca’s voice suits his character after we get to know him a bit. It did strike an odd note when the narrator first assumed his deepest voice for Orca. What made it odd was that Orca wasn’t speaking the dialogue just signing it. (Who knew mermen used a variation on ASL?). As Orca’s background becomes more well explained, the voice does seem to fit him more. Lance does a reasonably good job with both male and female voices though his naturally youthful voice makes a few of the characters, (particularly Peter’s two moms) younger than they’re described… but then how old is old, when you’re a dragon?
Overall, I thought that this was a fine adventure. While it wasn’t exactly what I expected from the book blurb, I enjoyed it. It does look to be the first in a series and I’m hoping that in later volumes we’ll be able to see these shifters in a lighter adventure.
***Note: I am voluntarily reviewing this after receiving a complimentary copy ***
October 11, 2021
Fantasy MM Romance with a little mermaid take. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for this type of read. It was compelling and it had depth while also delivering on the steamy bits. There was a lot of information about the Mer world and I really liked that as well as the Dragon Shifter information as well. I really like how everything was explained and how it was all wrapped up. I do feel a bit jolted, as I wanted more of the happiness after the big battle, but hopefully with the next book we get to at least check in on Seafoam and Peter!! Lance West performed this audio narration and did a fantastic job. I will definitely be looking out for more of Lance's work.
Audio ARC provided and this is my honest review.
Audio ARC provided and this is my honest review.
December 29, 2023
I wasn't expecting a Revolution against an oppressive system to take place in this book, but here we are.
I Guess I could make an analysis about how Omega/omega relationships can be used to represent the lesbian experience and hardships and how the omega's experiences in this book could reflect women's, but I am tired. I would think about It, because Its honestly a very interesting topic.
Also, I have something that worries me: since only a select number of Alpha were fertile and the omegas had to share, this means that a part of the grup (wich I assume its a large one since the example of Ulrich shows the fertile Alpha have a lot of kids) shares DNA. So This comunity can fall into endogamy very esealy.
Pd: there was a lot of nakedness in this book.
I Guess I could make an analysis about how Omega/omega relationships can be used to represent the lesbian experience and hardships and how the omega's experiences in this book could reflect women's, but I am tired. I would think about It, because Its honestly a very interesting topic.
Also, I have something that worries me: since only a select number of Alpha were fertile and the omegas had to share, this means that a part of the grup (wich I assume its a large one since the example of Ulrich shows the fertile Alpha have a lot of kids) shares DNA. So This comunity can fall into endogamy very esealy.
Pd: there was a lot of nakedness in this book.
May 7, 2022
It could have been a great read if there wasn’t that much information in that short amount of 312 pages. It was kind of hard to follow and understand how everything works. But I don’t want to discourage anyone who wants to read it. I believe the author created an amazing universe with great ideas and great characters, there was just too much things happening in a short time to be digested easily. I’m 100% sure that if this book was edited differently it would be an awesome series (I’m saying series because I would have love to take time to know each couple in their proper book)
Take care,
Ghost
Take care,
Ghost
April 21, 2020
3.75 stars rounded up
This was better than I was expecting, more complex and interesting. I'm definitely interested in reading more about both the mermen and the heron cultures.
This was better than I was expecting, more complex and interesting. I'm definitely interested in reading more about both the mermen and the heron cultures.
September 22, 2020
I LOVED this! The world building is great and I really really want to read the next one!
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