Wish Out of Water

Written by Holley Trent

Narrated by Lauren Rose

- First in a new series about the Williams siblings of Theapoke, North Carolina! -

Brook Williams was raised to avoid drawing attention at all costs. At twenty-eight, she wonders if her mermaid mother’s paranoia isolated Brook and her siblings from society to a harmful extreme. When Brook intervenes to save a stranger from a careening truck, however, she quickly learns her mother’s obsessive concerns were entirely justified.

There’s just something about Brook that Cooper Koning can’t get off his mind. At first, he thinks his infatuation is due to the concussion sustained when she shoved him out of traffic. Then he realizes that she’s simply perfect…perfect to free him from a looming future being the king of Souersland. His candid Hail Mary proposal comes with few strings attached: Brook marries him, he’s tossed from the line of succession, she gets a wad of cash for her struggling swim school, and they go their separate ways.

Of course, Cooper soon realizes that he’d be foolish to let her go.

Now that she’s left her little world, though, the mermaid skeletons in Brook’s closet can no longer stay hidden. Her mother left the sea to escape a burdensome duty, and now that duty is Brook’s. And in a strange twist of fate, that mantle may mean that it isn’t even Cooper’s human family who should rule Souersland, but Brook’s magical one.

Can a relationship built on fables endure? Or will the star-crossed spouses quickly decide their differences are too tremendous to overcome?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bryant Street Publishing
• Release date: May 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9781094455488

Holley Trent

Holley Trent is an award-winning author of contemporary and paranormal romance. She writes stories filled with dark humor, and characters and situations that are just as complicated and unpredictable as real life. Although she earned an English literature degree by studying the classics, the appeal of satisfying and emotionally fulfilling conclusions guided her toward the romance genre.She resides on the Colorado Front Range with her family.

Reviews for Wish Out of Water

[Karen Chandler · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a different storyline of a mermaid meet prince.

[Emily James · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Couldn’t tell you anything about the story, I was so distracted by the bad narration. Wasn’t that bad at the beginning but by the end the narrator was mispronouncing or garbling every other word.

[Karen Toth · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good story bad writing. no explanation of any passion. Same characters have habits and they're not explaining them leave the reader wanting and wondering in a bad way.

[ajah_d · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a slow starter but came together really quickly once it got going. Brook and Cooper worked hard for their HEA. The lore is unique and the world building unparalleled. Can't wait for the next book in the series.

Compared to the Afotama series, there's much less sex, but plenty of steam all the same!

[Chyka · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I agree with Savannah who wrote the first review. Hard to follow because new characters and events just get randomly thrown at you. She recognizes family members that were never properly introduced etc. choppy story telling. The story itself is good but it could go through the ringer a few more times to smooth it out.

[Savannah · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

ALL over the place. World building info was just thrown in haphazardly along the way when some was truly needed to understand the characters and ploy. The romance itself lacked any type of flow, heroine was also a total contradiction and not in a good way. Overall she's just irritating. Never got a real read on the hero either. He's both spoiled and entitled while shunning his position and wealth?
I can tell the author has talent but someone needs to reign this stuff way in. So so SO choppy.

[Tenisha Cooper · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked this book. I wish it was 2 part narrators. It makes the book less long-winded in a sense. For me, that is. The plot and the intimacy between the characters were electric. Because there was only 1 narrator, it was hard to keep up with who was speaking. Sometimes, the voices sounded the same.

[Brandy Miner · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Sorry could not listen to her read this book. She needs to change her voice more so I know how she is speaking for