Wish Out of Water

Hooked #1

by Holley Trent

Brook Williams was raised to avoid drawing attention at all costs. At twenty-eight, she wonders if her mermaid mother’s paranoia isolated Brook and her siblings from society to a harmful extreme. When Brook intervenes to save a stranger from a careening truck, however, she quickly learns her mother’s obsessive concerns were entirely justified.

There’s just something about Brook that Cooper Koning can’t get off his mind. At first, he thinks his infatuation is due to the concussion sustained when she shoved him out of traffic. Then he realizes that she’s simply perfect…perfect to free him from a looming future being the king of Souersland. His candid Hail Mary proposal comes with few strings attached: Brook marries him, he’s tossed from the line of succession, she gets a wad of cash for her struggling swim school, and they go their separate ways.

Of course, Cooper soon realizes that he’d be foolish to let her go.

Now that she’s left her little world, though, the mermaid skeletons in Brook’s closet can no longer stay hidden. Her mother left the sea to escape a burdensome duty, and now that duty is Brook’s. And in a strange twist of fate, that mantle may mean that it isn’t even Cooper’s human family who should rule Souersland, but Brook’s magical one.

Can a relationship built on fables endure? Or will the star-crossed spouses quickly decide their differences are too tremendous to overcome?

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Mermaids, Magic, Fantasy Romance, Shapeshifters, Royalty

380 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 15, 2022

About the author

Holley Trent is a romance author who spins campy yarns set in North Carolina. She has a wicked sense of humor and regularly puts her story characters into unexpected situations.

When she's not writing, she's reading or eating Twizzlers.

Her contemporary and fantasy romances have been published by Crimson Romance, Calliope Romance/Musa Publishing, and she has work due for release by Lyrical Press.

2013 brings a change of pace with her self-published series of paranormal novellas: Shrew and Company. Five women, five romances, one big bear of a problem. Check out boss-lady Dana's story in THE PROBLEM WITH PADDY, available now.

Reviews

[Ms. Woc Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

See review below

https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....

[NYC reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uneven tone and I didn’t get a good sense of either character or why they feel in love. The parameters and limitations of Brook being a mermaid weren’t clear - she was toxic, soothing, scattered, powerful, sheltered, strong, weak? It was all over the place. And the relationship was very insta-love but maybe, maybe not a mermaid spell?

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Watch the livestream discussion

https://youtu.be/OwekNNO2B5k

[Disgusted Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. It has a great premise. But the author’s execution is like getting in the car with a new driver- jerky!!!!

The world building was weak, It suffers from the terrible awful disease that is insta-love & BrookE (yes with an E 🙄) the main character is shit from the butt. Shes ambiguously described & her attitude is a little too hot & cold for me. She is not the character to pull off the story this author wants to write. A more confident & settled character would’ve suited this better.

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series about Black merfolk? I was so excited when Holley announced it was coming. Unfortunately, it was lacking in execution. The pacing issues made it feel both disjointed and predictable. The first half needed to be cut in half (if not more), as it really dragged. I was way more interested in what we learned about merfolk culture and Brook’s history in the latter half—the story should have started there, as far as I’m concerned. Then the last 25% happened in hyper-speed, leaving me with a lot of questions about what was actually happening or why we couldn’t linger on any of the reveals. There wasn’t enough recovery time from the low moment before the book ended, which meant I majorly doubted both Brook and Cooper’s feelings for one another. One thing I did appreciate, however, was the way this examines colonialism and the contrast between patriarchal Souersland to matriarchal Klaufindt. I’m curious about how that will be developed across the series.

The author’s characters are starting to feel interchangeable to me, particularly the FMCs of the last several books that I’ve read, or maybe it’s just that I’m tired of sheltered, meek FMCs in general. That might just be poor luck on my part and not a wider issue. I’m hoping her next FMC will be fiercer and have a whole lot more gumption but based on what we’ve seen of Brook’s sister, I’m not very hopeful. I didn’t love her overbearing hothead brother either. I might need to skip their books.

Characters: Brook is a 28 year old Black mermaid and swim coach. She read as having ADHD but I don’t believe it’s named on page. Cooper is a 32 year old white Crown Prince of Souersland (small Nordic country.) He has a dog named Ralph. This is set in rural NC and Souersland.

Content notes: toxic father/king, kidnapping by merfolk kin, she’s released soon after, colonialism, minor injuries from being hit by a truck, past death of FMC’s mother I think? This is one of my questions: they kept saying things like “she left” or “she’s gone”. They are grieving the lack of her presence, however it happened, for the past 5 years., past kidney donation to MMC’s father, brief discussion of deportations, diet culture, on page sex, alcohol, gendered insults, ableist language

Disclosure: I received a free advanced copy as a perk for regularly opening the author’s newsletter.

[Kazen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I second everything Leigh says in her review - I usually love Trent's SFF but the worldbuilding and plotting are off here.

Thanks to the author for providing a review copy via her newsletter.

[Stacie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 Stars!

This got better as it went. I might read the next book. Happy reading!

[Inyene · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s unfortunate because the plot/conflict of this book is juicier than the romance. It’s frustrating that we don’t get any plot development until chapter ~25. The character development was weak, the pace was aggravating but damn, did she have a good premise of a story. I will be reading a summary for the rest of the series.

[Zaji-Kali (ZajiKaliReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
2.5/5 🌶️🌶️

This is not a little mermaid retelling! It’s something wholly it’s own and wonderfully unique! I really liked the paranormal feel of this story mixed with the royalty aspects. The whole Williams family stole my heart and I enjoyed seeing Brook’s journey from sheltered secret mermaid to Mrs. Koning to learning about her own family’s past. Mermaid perfection! I ate this one right up!

Brook was so sweet but bold when she needed to be! I really liked how she was able to navigate all these strange circumstances especially when it came to Cooper. I liked her sense of humor and how she was a natural leader. She just exuded a Boss vibe and I was here for it! Plus her wardrobe! Obsessed! 🔥

Cooper made me laugh! Though this is not a LM retelling, he is exactly how I imagine Eric would be if he had a personality lol I liked how he was rebellious but for all the right reasons! Plus the man was teaching lessons 🥵 anyway! He definitely won me over!

Honorable mentions for my favorite side characters; Drew, Ralph and Mia. I loved all three of them and I hope we get to see them more!

There was a bit of awkwardness in the writing that worked better in ebook over audio, but I found myself reading with both or only ebook. It took me a couple chapters to get into it but once I found my footing I was completely sucked into this world! I’m absolutely looking forward to the next book! I’m so excited to see where everything goes! I would definitely recommend this one to my PNR lovers and those looking for a unique mermaid romance!

[Catlou · Rating 5 out of 5]

WISH OUT OF WATER is a slow build toward an increasingly fascinating love story. The characters are unique and interesting, and the storyline is captivating, filled with witty banter, a bit of intrigue, and touches of passion. What starts as a business transaction between Cooper and Brook quickly begins to become something much more. Their relationship grows to be much deeper and more complex than they could have ever expected. This is a story you want to read slowly so you can savor each scene. It's a wonderful introduction to a beguiling world in which the stories are sure to mesmerize and enthrall their readers.

[Alicia Birdie and the books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Watch the live stream on the who picked this book YouTube channel linked below

https://youtu.be/OwekNNO2B5k

[Amy! · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a little slow burn for my tastes, but the couple of sex scenes were H O T. I also just really enjoyed that it was about mermaids and the mythology Trent created around them. REALLY looking forward to the second book.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the audiobook for this story on Scribd, so I thought I'd give it a go. Who doesn't love a fun romance about mermaids?
I'm a sucker for romance and fantasy, so in that respect, I got what I was looking for.
Having said that, I found this story to be lacking in some areas.
The narrator for me, didn't quite hit the mark. I found her pronounciation of some of the words a little off and it was at times hard to distinguish between characters and also when a character was speaking versus when they were thinking internally.
Narration aside, I found some of the word choices a bit strange. I don't have specific examples, but to me it felt like it was an attempt to impress the reader with all the big words she knows.
I'm aware that some of the characters are royalty, so there's a certain amount of formality to speech, but even so, to me it didn't sound like how actual people speak.
Moving on, I'm unsure how the two main characters actually fell in love. Unless they had a lot of conversations outside what we saw, they didn't spend that much time together. Of course, there was the physical attraction part of it, but physical attraction and romantic love are different.

So unless I'm missing something, at best they're in lust - not love.

[Christine Karmelreads2665 W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puzzle Pieces


Let me start off by saying when I started this book I could not put it down. I don't know what it is about this book but I honestly enjoyed reading it.

Brooke and Cooper are kind of like puzzle pieces. they have so many sides that you're not sure they actually fit together but somehow they do lock in tight and don't let go.

The story has a nice balance between real life/fantasy and the blur between in it's own way is seamless.

There are some questions I will need answered and hopefully as this series continues the author will take care of my curiosity.

Ms Trent has done a beautiful job and creating a new series that I look forward to reading I can't wait for Rivers book next.

[MARQUETTA · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes. Black merfolk! Sign me up! The first half of the book was slow and meandering. The pacing was hella off. There were pints throughout the book where I had no idea what was going on. Lot of missing details. Like how long was Brook’s braid? It was such a part of her but no detail was given. For Cooper to constantly talk about her hair and compare her to rapíñale we never had a scene where. Took was braiding her hair or fussing about having to do it. I was at the 76% mark and I felt like not much had happened. The ending was rushed - the most important part of the story! I wanted to know more about Brook and her people. I truly did not feel that there was a connection between Cooper and Brook. The chemistry was nil.

[Aoife · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is such a good base of a story here but the pacing was really all over the place. I think this could have worked if the romance was left to bud over the series more and the focus was on world building and finding her lost culture, getting to know her mother's roots more

[Smut Report]

This book was our buddy read for our merfolk romance week.

Holly’s Take
Heat Factor: The two sex scenes are pretty detailed, but there are only two of them

Character Chemistry: Her magic doesn’t suck his happiness away. It’s fate!

Plot: Cooper doesn’t want to be king, so he asks Brook to do a marriage of convenience with him. Apparently marrying an American means he automatically abdicates. (???) Plot twist: Brook is a mermaid and discovers she’s the real heir to the throne.

Overall: The pacing was off…it was like: solid start, slow, slow, slow, INTRIGUE!, denouement.

Ingrid’s Take
Heat Factor: It had moments of heat but was largely pretty mild.

Character Chemistry: They’re fated mates and I guess fated rulers.

Plot: He’s supposed to be king. She’s supposed to be a human nobody. But actually she’s a mermaid with royal lineage and it’s enough to throw everything into chaos.

Overall: It feels like a very long start to something and that didn’t actually develop into its cohesive, finished result.

Erin’s Take
Heat Factor: There’s a bit of dissonance between the perfection of their coming together and, like, everything else about their relationship.

Character Chemistry: They’re basically fated mates.

Plot: She’s a nobody, except she just has no idea that she’s not a nobody, and he’s a bastard prince who grew up outside the kingdom but is somehow inheriting the throne because of Reasons, which she is supposed to fix but doesn’t.

Overall: I was extremely confused. Also this relationship contains most of the “I’m leaving now” drama that I actively dislike.

What’s one key piece of information you think a reader should know before getting Wish out of Water?
Holly: This book felt really long to me, but that could be because I have a cold and would take NyQuil and then try to read it. So it took me a couple of days to get through. The opening is really strong, but the middle was pretttttty slow.

Erin: I very much consider myself to be an “average reader” because I do not like literary analysis at all, but I do like to read and to think about what I read. These are my credentials. Ergo, the number of times I’d read something and then it would be unclearly contradicted later on made this book extremely challenging to read. I spent almost the entire book asking “WTF is going on?” And not in that “What mysterious but increasingly comprehensible worldbuilding!” kind of way, either. In the “I’m more confused now than I was before” kind of way.

Ingrid: Really, I think that the key information I’d share is that it’s a mermaid book but they don’t mermaid very much. It’s a romance but most of the character development seems to revolve around main-with-secondary character relationships. And it’s a fantasy world building book that seems to be focused on preparing for a series.

Read our full review at The Smut Report

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[Candy_ Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pueden leer la reseña en español en:

https://www.unlibrounmundo.com/2024/0...

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Overall Rating: 🌹🌹🌹 (3/5)
Character development: ☀️☀️☀️ (3/5)
Romance: ❤️❤️ (2/5)
Climax: 🍃🍃(2/5)
Fantasy: 🧜🏼‍♀️🧜🏼‍♀️🧜🏼‍♀️🧜🏼‍♀️ (4/5)

To be honest I feel conflicted about this book, and I had a hard time deciding what score to give it; I think it is because I had high expectations when I started reading it, not only because of the blurb but also because it had been many years since I had found a book about mermaids that interested me. Having said that let me start this review by saying what Wish Out of Water is about.

The narrative follows the story of Brook, a twenty-eight year old woman, half mermaid half human, who was raised in an unorthodox manner, as her mother and aunt were always reminding her and her siblings how cautious they should be. This caused her to develop a rather distrustful, and nervous nature around other people, and due to the little interaction she had with members outside of the family, she had social anxiety; and Cooper, a thirty-two year old prince whose upbringing was also uncommon. Although Cooper is next in line to the throne, he has no desire to inherit itthis is mostly due to the bad relationship he has with his father and everything the king does in its rule, so despite it's been ten years since he discovered he was a crown prince, he had never really been interested in making a change in the kingdom of Souersland; so after being saved by Brook from being run over in front of the store, he offers her a deal. She marries him, thus giving him the opportunity to be rejected as heir to the throne without suffering the consequences that the law of Souersland mandates, and he gives her the money she needs to keep afloat the swimming program and school she runs with her family. Of course, even though the original bargain was to end the marriage when it was all over, after spending some time together Cooper realizes he doesn't want to have an annulment. However, his marriage unleashes a series of events that alter Brook and her siblings' lives forever, making it impossible for her to return to her previous live even if they annul the marriage -which she doesn't want it to happen.

While the idea is not original, the way Holley develops it and slowly introduces new information makes it take on a fresh feel and a twist with unique characteristics. Brook's personality is quite likable and the fact that she is so honest and straightforward is something I really liked. But, on the other hand, as for Cooper's personality it's not something that captured me and made me fall in love with him, the fact that he's spent so much time in the kingdom, and sees what's wrong, but doesn't want to do something about it's something that bothers me. Although both characters have an developmental arc, I feel that Cooper's change was quite sudden despite having small moments where he started to think more deeply about different things. This is why in character development I gave it3 out of 5.

The romance on the other hand is based mostly on the attraction between them with certain touches of fantasy, and basically an almost instant love. While the concept of a romantic relationship based on attraction and quasi love at first sight can be developed quite well, I feel that this was not the case with Brook and Cooper's relationship. To tell the truth I really liked that they had their moments getting to know each other, but I feel that the problem is in the jumps between scenes throughout the whole story, as it makes me feel that it lacks development. This not only happens with the romance but also with the world building. Truth be told if Holley had shown some scenes that followed certain events such as when Brook is dragged by her uncle to the underwater palace cell the book would have had a greater impact.

Furthermore, while the climax of the story serves to deepen the development of the overall fantasy plot and set the stage for the second book, I think it lacked more punch and impact, as well as a real conflict considering that Wish Out of Water is a fantasy romance.

To be honest I don't think I'm going to read the second book, although the cliffhanger about the fantasy plot does make me quite curious. Despite all that I was able to enjoy the story and have a nice time reading it.

[Paranormaly Romantic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at Paranormal-y Romantic

Wish Out of Water begins the Hooked series with an incredibly intense, sexy, and emotional story that is far from what you might expect of mermaid society. But first of all… that cover is simply stunning – can’t wait to see the covers for the next books in this series if this one is any indication of how striking they will be.

To be frank, there isn’t a lot that I can add to the cover description blurb in order to keep this a spoiler-free review. If all of that doesn’t convince you to try this one, I don’t know what would.

Brook and her siblings have been protected by their mother their entire lives. They see that protection as paranoia, and maybe it is… perhaps it isn’t, only time and experience in the real world will tell. They have built a business and careers around their unique abilities in the water and for the most part, have been content living in the backwaters. Now thanks to one impromptu journey out into the world for necessities and the fact that Brook saved a human from certain injury, none of their lives will be quite the same again.

I liked both Cooper and Brook together and individually. And when the conflict between them came it was almost harsh in the misunderstanding that was caused. There are of course villains to be dealt with but not all on the same level of nastiness, some simply believe they are superior to every other life form around them which makes them nasty but not deadly. I enjoyed watching eyes be opened and reality accepted.

The story flows smoothly, the characters are interesting and unique, and there is enough background to the overall series included to make me need to pick up the next story to find out what happens. I had fun here, and that’s the entire point. If you love a good paranormal romance, some puzzles to figure out, and definitely some sizzle then you’ll want to pick up Wish Out of Water and get started on this series soon.

I own a Kindle edition of this title.

[Andrea Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mesmerizing fantasy romance

"Wish Out of Water" delves into themes of love, sacrifice, and self-discovery. The story follows Brook, a mermaid and swim coach, and Cooper, the Crown Prince of Souersland, as they navigate a whirlwind romance that challenges societal norms and expectations.

Brook emerges as a strong and relatable protagonist, with a blend of sweetness, humor, and boldness that makes her a compelling character. Her natural leadership qualities and unwavering determination to do what is right for herself and her swim school make her a character that I rooted for throughout the story.

One of the key points of the book is the unique and compelling relationship between Brook and Cooper. Their initial meeting sets the stage for a captivating love story filled with twists and turns. Cooper's unconventional proposal to Brook, offering her a way out of her struggles in exchange for his own freedom, sets the tone for a complex and intriguing dynamic between the two characters. The slow build of the romance between Brook and Cooper adds depth and complexity to their relationship, making their love story all the more captivating and satisfying.

The contrast between patriarchal Souersland and matriarchal Klaufindt adds depth to the story, highlighting the themes of colonialism and gender roles in a thought-provoking manner.

Overall, "Wish Out of Water" is a beautifully crafted tale that will enchant you with its magical world and engaging characters. If you enjoy mermaid themes and a slow-burn romance, I highly recommend diving into this captivating novel.

[Jamilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read!

I got really excited about 72% through because it felt like the story had pushed the romance aspect aside to try it’s hand at some fantasy-level court intrigue, but no worries, it didn’t get too far into that, much to my disappointment.

Either way, I really liked the romance between the two leads, they fell fast and hard, with an openness (mermaid secret aside) that found so sweet!

Brook and Cooper due to their various situations were very sheltered and a bit too naive at times, which the author used to ham in two!!! misunderstandings! (you don’t need to gild a lily!)

But, alas, I’m sucked into this world, and am tentatively excited for the other stories! (I hope the secondary plot gets beefed up a bit!)

[Lory · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic read!! The characters were unique and interesting and the storyline was captivating from beginning to end. Also with a touch of intrigue, suspense and witty banter it definitely made for a helluva read. All though there are some questions I need answered. I'm super excited to see what else is in store for this series. As always my reviews are totally voluntarily and no monetary compensation was received and the opinions I have expressed are completely my own.

[Angie7 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entangled

What a wonderful storyline; and prince a mermaid a do and np one wants the others hahahaha. Great characters bewildering personalities. This is going to be a great series. Although you must read slowly as you may get confused in the first 3 chapters. I was lost for aminute then realized how the author was writing the interactions and communications. As you will learn this little mermaid thinks allot! Lol

[Beverly Diehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone who can't wait till the live action Little Mermaid, here's a fabulous mermaid/merman world with heroines, heroes, and royalty. Brook makes a great heroine, and the heat between her and Cooper is sizzling. The world building is good, and there's even a couple of characters to intensely dislike. As well as love: Auntie!

I liked this so much that the moment I finished it, I had to buy and read the next in the series.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fine. I had to force myself to finish it. It wasn’t bad, the characters nor their relationships pulled me in. My favorite character was actually the MMCs dog, so, there’s that.

For a book about a mermaid who teaches swim lessons, she didn’t spend much time in the water or with a tail. We saw more of her inner voice “little mermaid” splashing around her mind in anger than we did the actual FMC.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

That is a gorgeous cover! I do love Trent's stories - she manages to put twists on just about everything in a story. I would have liked more development of the external plot and the politics, but maybe that will happen in later books.

[AGMaynard]

Took a while to get rolling, with lots of family stuff with Brook, Prince Cooper’s schemes and story, etc. Then, a big swerve at about 70 percent, with an unexpected, for Brook and reader, new mermaid connections, structure, politics. All a bit too much, in total.

[Michelle Grimison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting idea… marriage of convenience between a prince who doesn’t want his throne and a mermaid doesn’t know she has one.
Definitely felt like a rushed thrown together story arc with the FMC and her family of mermaids but cute little romance… I will read book 2…
🫑 super tame spice!

[*Jessica]

Not rating

This book was hard to follow. The story itself was interesting, but I was left confused about what the hell was happening most of the time.

[Mina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn't long enough 🥺