Marina (The Fairy Tomes of Cerulean Cove)

About the Book:

For years after the tragic death of her family, Marina has been wandering the vast waters, searching for a new home. But when no other mermaids take her in, she decides to live in the land above… with humans.

Caspian finds her on the shores of Cerulean Cove, unconscious after drinking an elixir to conceal her identity. The modest, hardworking fisherman has been searching for a lifelong companion already, so he considers Marina’s arrival a pleasant surprise.

Marina knows she has to keep her true nature hidden since fishermen don’t often look upon mermaids with favor. But as the days pass, her attraction to and trust in Caspian grow, tempting her to turn their marriage of convenience into something more.

Excerpt from this fantasy romance:

Out of all kinds of humans, it was fishermen who disliked merfolk the most. They competed for fish, after all, and rogue merfolk were notorious for seducing fisherfolk from their spouses. It’s the reason why only the married among her kind were allowed on land.

There had been more than one unwed mermaid or merman who returned to sea because humans had driven them away after discovering the truth.

“I… got lost…” she said.

The man snorted. “Got knocked out is more like it. Are you alone?”

“Yes,” Marina replied.

“You don’t look too good. Are you… in a bad way?” The man’s eyes darted down before coming back to her face. He blushed. “Did somebody hurt you?”

“No.”

The man pressed his lips together and stayed silent. Marina could see not just his discomfort but also his disbelief. After all, there were only so many reasons for an unconscious, naked woman to appear out of nowhere.

Eventually, he sighed and helped her sit up.

“Here.” He let go of her so he could remove his coat and drape it over her shoulders. “What happened, then? Why are you, um, underdressed like this?”

If he didn’t look so troubled by her presence, Marina would have taken the time to appreciate his coat’s scent. She found the mix of pine and salty breeze wafting from the fabric rather pleasant. It made her feel safe, even though she should be cautious with the human who’d found her.

“I didn’t bring clothes with me when I… escaped…” Marina said, not really sure how else she could explain her predicament. She didn’t want to return to the sea and present the sorceress with her life before the sun had set on her first day as a human.

The man gnawed at his lower lip, and Marina hoped that he’d take pity on her despite her poorly worded answers.

“I get it,” he said, much to Marina’s relief. “I won’t ask anything else if you don’t feel like talking, but at least let me take care of you.”

“I’d appreciate it, Mister…”

“The name’s Caspian.” His arm returned to where it had been before he gave her his coat. “What’s yours?”

“Marina,” she said as he helped her to her feet. She looked down, and for a moment, Marina marveled over the sight of her ten new toes digging into the white sand.

“Well, Marina,” the man—Caspian—said, “let’s see if you can walk without tipping over.”

Marina struggled over her first few steps, but Caspian was quick to support her whenever she nearly fell. He held her to his side, only briefly loosening his arm when he had to retrieve his fishing net. The rest of the time, he helped her past the occasional boulder that dotted the beach.

“Where are we walking to?” Marina asked after noticing that they were going only one way.