Book Review: The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: June 2nd 2015

Genre: Contemporary, YA

Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads Blurb:

The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d’Abreau was destined for stardom—until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can’t sing. She can’t even speak.

Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend’s invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse’s home in the Caribbean isn’t: An ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people too polite to pry—except for one.

Christian Kane is a notorious playboy—insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He’s also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn’t treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life.

When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove’s high-stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly stows her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn’t the only thing making waves, though—swept up in Christian’s seductive tide and entranced by the Cove’s charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn’t what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who’s best known for breaking them . . .

My Review

This book is amazing! And here is why:

1. The protagonist, Elyse, is incredible. She may not be able to speak but she still finds ways to stand up for the people she cares about. Her passion and resilience really inspired me. And despite all the ways she’s perfect, she’s also flawed enough to be human. Her character grows so much throughout the book and I can easily say she’s one of my favorite protagonists.
2. Not surprisingly, the rest of the characters were just as well-developed. Christian, the love interest, did not turn out the way I expected him to. I expected him to be a cliche playboy but he was anything but cliche. He was incredibly strong and patient with Elyse, willing to wait however long it took to read her lips. He treated her the way she deserved to be treated and that is really it all it took. Christian didn’t actually fit any of the cliches I expected the author to use (since his family is wealthy). And guys, his little brother Sebastian is so cute. His dad annoyed the hell out of me because of his reactions toward Sebastian’s desire to do certain things. I honestly just wanted to jump into the book and give Christian’s father a good talking-to about how he doesn’t deserve to have such wonderful children. It’s really been a while since I was so heavily invested in a book.
3. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids also happens to have some great themes. For most of the book, Elyse, struggles to overcome a tragedy that changes the course of her life. This book is about trying to fit in and trying to find a home in a place where you don’t feel like you belong.

To sum it all up, this book is incredible and if you haven’t read this yet, I’m not sure what you’re waiting for 🙂 

[Comment down below and let me know what you thought of this book. And since I don’t do a lot of “list-reviews,” I’m curious whether you prefer this format to other reviews I’ve done.]