The Costa Book of the Year Award winner, this magical realism historical novel is based on Taino indigenous people's legend about a mermaid cursed to eternal sea exile, silence, and loneliness by jealous wives and ancient goddesses. Despite the mythical background of the fictional Caribbean island of Black Conch, the book is set in the 1970s Trinidadian reality. A mermaid, spellbound by a local fisherman strumming on his guitar and singing to himself, gets caught by American tourists from Florida. The fisherman frees her and hides her in his house, but can their love break an ancient curse? The fabulist tale masterfully shapeshifts into a story about colonialism, violence, womanhood, and what it means to be the OTHER whose home and language are taken away. I became lost in the beauty of this marvelous novel and its multi-layered depths. ~Aggie
This was an absolute delight in every way-- the characters, the snappy dialogue, the splashy 1970's nostalgia, the beautiful beating heart that pulses through each sentence. Anyone who ever felt like an outsider as a kid will find much catharsis in the 14-year-old title character's coming-of-age over the course of a life-changing summer. I had so much fun reading this. ~Todd
A curmudgeonly social worker visits an island to report on the magical children and the caretaker that lives there. What ensues is a truly joyous story of love, anti-prejudice, and hope. This is sunshine in a book! ~Ashley
Super cute romance perfect for the beach. It has all the typical rom-com tropes you could hope for. I read this in one sitting! ~Ashley
I'm head over heels for this cozy novel! A perfect vacation read. After her beloved grandmother dies, baking prodigy Lila finds herself on mandatory vacation and discovers new friends, new love, and new cultural traditions while proudly honoring her own identity. Representation, delicious food descriptions, copious cups of tea...what's not to love? ~Kristin
This book by new romance queen provides 1) a chance to take a European cruise by proxy; 2) enemies-to-lovers done perfectly; 3) subtle critique of the racism inherent in the genre as well as insights about fighting society’s expectations and, you know, trying to figure out who you want to be. I love Elise Bryant! ~ Kristin
Oh, wow wow wow-- this was quite a hoot. A writer whose creative gas tank has run empty suddenly gains access to an unbeatable, sure-to-be-a-hit storyline and passes it off as his own...with, let's just say, "mixed results." It's a gripping, sometimes quite hilarious literary thriller which held me hostage (in the best possible way) for a few sittings; I had to use a ton of restraint not to read it all in one go. ~Todd
