Mermaid

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Two sheltered princesses, one wounded warrior; who will live happily ever after?

Princess Margrethe has been hidden away while her kingdom is at war. One gloomy, windswept morning as she stands in a convent garden overlooking the icy sea, she witnesses a miracle: a glittering mermaid emerging from the waves, a nearly drowned man in her arms. By the time Margrethe reaches the shore, the mermaid has disappeared into the sea. As Margrethe nurses the handsome stranger back to health, she learns that not only is he a prince, he is also the son of her father's greatest rival. Sure that the mermaid brought this man to her for a reason, Margrethe devises a plan to bring peace to her kingdom.

Meanwhile, the mermaid princess Lenia longs to return to the human man she carried to safety. She is willing to trade her home, her voice, and even her health for legs and the chance to win his heart….

A surprising take on the classic tale, Mermaid is the story of two women with everything to lose. Beautifully written and compulsively readable, it will make you think twice about the fairy tale you heard as a child, keeping you in suspense until the very last page.

Praise for Mermaid

“Mermaid is one sexy fairy tale, a bittersweet story about the tides that tug at the human heart.”
—Keith Donohue, New York Times bestselling author of The Stolen Child

“Magical and mysterious, Mermaid’s twist on a classic tale is as ingenious as it is delightful.”
—Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You and Is It Tomorrow

“Absorbing, poignant, and heartbreaking…Readers who love fairy tale retellings will find this fresh take difficult to put down.”
—Library Journal

“More robust than a fractured fairy tale, Turgeon’s brooding retelling gives voice to both women, fleshing out an essentially tragic tale of destiny and desire…Guaranteed to keep you guessing who – if anyone – will live happily ever after.”
—Booklist

“Turgeon has done a superb job of creating compelling characters and conflict from a story already familiar to readers.”
—Publishers Weekly

“A gothic love triangle with two equally matched heroines. This isn’t kid’s stuff.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Vividly imagined and skillfully told, Mermaid is a dark tale that shimmers with light.”
—Cathy Marie Buchanan, New York Times bestselling author of The Day the Falls Stood Still

“There is a part of every reader that longs to return to the days of reading fairy tales and myths, when imagination had no limits and stories were spellbinding. Carolyn Turgeon’s Mermaid evokes just that feeling. She is one of my new favorite writers.”
—Jo-Ann Mapson, author of Solomon’s Oak and the Bad Girl Creek trilogy

“This Mermaid is resplendent with shimmering details, the dark and thrilling story behind that comforting childhood memory. At once fresh and familiar, heartbreaking and full of hope, this dark retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid is like a gorgeous dream remembered.”
—Jeanine Cummins, bestselling author of A Rip in Heaven and The Outside Boy

“As moody and atmospheric as a gothic novel, Mermaid is a heartfelt portrait of young love and all its sweet complications. Sweeping and lush, an inspired and imaginative reimagining of my favorite fairy tale.”
—Timothy Schaffert, author of The Coffins of Little Hope

“Turgeon's ability to breathe new life into the old bones of a beloved story we all think we know is unparalleled.”
—Anton Strout, author of the Simon Canderous series