About the Book

Book: The Mermaid’s Tale

Author: L. E. Richmond

Genre: YA Fantasy Retelling

Release Date: October 10, 2023

A Tail Could Tell a Tale

Locklyn Adair has never fit in. The legs she inherited as a result of her great-great-grandmother’s curse make it impossible for her to belong under the sea. When her niece is also born without a tail, Locklyn is determined to save her from similar rejection by sending her to the only place in the Undersea Realm where legs are acceptable – the Lost Island of Atlantis.

Darin Aalto would do anything to protect his family, even spearheading an impossible quest to find treasure that has been lost for over a hundred years. But when his best friend, Locklyn, joins his crew, his ability to keep her safe—and his shot at winning her heart—comes perilously close to being swept away.

A family curse, lost treasure, unrequited love, and a race against time intertwine as Locklyn and Darin seek to save their family, their kingdom, and eventually the entire Undersea Realm without losing each other.

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My Review:

An exciting undersea tale filled with adventure, sacrifice, and love.

A mermaid born with legs instead of fins, Locklyn has lived her life as a social outcast, but when her niece is born with the same condition she is determined to do everything she can to give her more opportunities than she herself had.

A riveting story with fantastic world building and a compelling plot, and characters that you can root for all the way through. I loved the fast paced, twisting plot, set in the lush undersea world. The plot is original and imaginative, though inspired by the Little Mermaid, the author does and excellent job of remaking pieces of the tale into something completely her own.

Darin is a likable hero, strong, protective, and willing to fight for others. Despite his flaws, his heart is pure. Personally I'm not the biggest fan of the third person, present tense that his chapters are told in, but as the story progressed it didn't bother me so much.

Overall, a wonderful read with a riveting plot, and compelling characters that leave you begging for more. A terrific introduction to a new author, perfect for fans of fantasy, and friends to lovers romance!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

About the Author

L.E. Richmond was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest by an American composition teacher and a German bookseller. Her childhood consisted in a large part of imagining stories for her Playmobil characters and checking out as many books from the library as her family could fit on six library cards. Now she spends her time chasing two blonde baby boys, reading aloud to the hazel-eyed young man who has her heart, and attempting to transfer the stories in her head into words for others. Her passion is for words and stories that thrill the soul and she is continually amazed by the One who crafted the most epic story of all time.

More from L.E.

I am a discovery writer, so when I first started The Mermaid’s Tale, I knew only the general plot and that the romance would be between the main character and the older brother of her brother-in-law.

The catalyst for this choice came from a novel published in England in 1815.

Darin Aalto, famous treasure hunting Merman from the Mediterranean, was inspired by none other than Mr. Knightley from Shropshire. He, like Jane Austen’s hero, is kind, experienced, confident, and attentive to the needs of others. On the other hand, my heroine, Locklyn Adair, is not much like Emma Wodehouse, struggling with a lack of confidence rather than the overabundance which plagues the young mistress of Hartfield.

Even though Locklyn differs greatly from Emma in temperament, she shares one marked similarity with her – a deep devotion to her sister’s children. In fact, it is to save her niece from the rejection which legs bring to Mermaids that leads Locklyn to encourage Darin to claim a disputed treasure which in turn leads to hostility from the warrior queen of a neighboring kingdom which leads to a duel to the death which leads to . . . You’ll have to read the book to find out.