In Over Her Head

In Over Her Head by Judi Fennell

Mer series

ISBN# 978-1-4022-2001-2

Available June 1st

Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca

Format: mm pbk., 345 pages

Genres: fiction, paranormal chick-lit

Before this book was finally published it was a Top 5 Finalist in the First Chapters romance contest on Gather.com.  Her as of yet unpublished story, Beauty and the Best, was a Top 20 Finalist in the First Chapters contest and a Top 6 Finalist in the American Title III contest held by Romantic Times.  The second book in her Mer series, Wild Blue Under, will be out in November with the third following early next year.  Oh, and don't forget to enter her contest for a chance at one of three romantic getaway packages.

Out on a boat ready to dive is not where you would find most people with a deep fear of the ocean and yet that's where Erica Peck finds herself.  Her ex-fiance wants his diamonds, that she threw into the sea by mistake, and has a gun to prove it.  Luckily for her when things go bad she's saved by a merman, or is she?  When she wakes up she hopes she's still dreaming otherwise this is her worst fear come true.  A merman, talking fish, and being able to breathe water means she is now under the water she's been petrified of since The Incident happened when she was eight.  Once The Council hears a human knows about their kimberlite vein the only way Erica is going to live long enough to figure out a way to get her life back is to find her ex's diamonds and return them to the Mer.  There's only one eensy little problem, Ceto, the mother of all sea monsters (literally) has them.  Even if they do get the diamonds back Reel Tritone with all his teasing and flirting is going to make leaving a much harder decision than Erica ever thought possible.

This book was enjoyable, but not terribly original, in fact, by the second chapter I was re-casting Disney's The Little Mermaid in my head.  The mermaid is now a merman, Sebastian is now a remora named Chum, and the sea witch/hag is now a very fertile ex-goddess who gives birth to monsters.  Some of the humor seems a bit forced, but the story is cute.  The major upside to this story is Reel who's described as looking like Matthew McConaughey's twin brother with black hair, he has dimples, and he acts so much like him in some scenes you can almost hear the Texan drawl!  What's not to like about that?  If you're looking for something light to take to the beach this summer, that also happens to be about the beach, give this book a try.

Zhye