Review : The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

Summary (from Goodreads)  

Title : The Summer of Chasing Mermaids
Author : Sarah Ockler
Publication Date : June 2nd 2015
Publisher : Simon Pulse
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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 . . .

Personal Thoughts

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler is the kind of YA contemporary read that drains you emotionally after you turn the last page, but also leaves you with an intense feeling of satisfaction and love. I knew from the very beginning that this would be a book that thoroughly charmed me and I was right.

Sarah Ockler proves once again that she excels at characterization with this book. Elyse was one beautiful character and for her and I, it was absolute love at first encounter. Having lost her voice in a boating accident, Elyse was shattered because it meant that she could never achieve her dreams of becoming a singer. She was a very vulnerable character who I wanted to give a huge hug to. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids was her journey to finally finding her "voice", about what she wanted out of life and coming to terms with her physical condition. Ockler also wrote her story that reflected her personality, from the gorgeous thought processes to the interactions she had with the people around her. Her journey wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. She encountered several obstacles throughout the story, but she learned from them and eventually stood up for herself. I had so much admiration for her and I loved how she grew from this frail character into a beautiful young woman who knew exactly who she was. Her love interest, Christian, also completely stole my heart. You wouldn't think that he was such a sweetheart given that he was described as being a playboy at the start of the book. But this boy was genuinely nice, supportive of Elyse and loyal to the core. His and Elyse's romance was one of my favorite romances that I've ever read. It was a slow burn relationship, built heavily on trust between two people. Sarah Ockler captured every emotion of their relationship so beautifully. There were so many moments between Christian and Elyse that had my heart fluttering. Plus, these were two people that helped each other grow throughout their relationship. Theirs was a relationship that was honest and heartfelt.

Besides the wonderful main characters and the lovely romance, The Summer of Chasing Mermaids also had some stellar secondary characters. Sebastian, Christian's little brother who is obsessed with mermaids, was a scene stealer. This little boy charmed me and was so delightful. Every time he made an appearance, he would brighten my day. I also loved Elyse's support system throughout the book. Her aunt and her cousin were both amazing and I loved how they were there for Elyse no matter what. Besides the great characters, The Summer of Chasing Mermaids also excelled at the diversity. What made it so good for me was how Elyse's diversity was never used as a plot tool. She just was from a different culture and it was never used as a source of issues. I loved that because it felt natural. The coastal setting was also beautifully captured, with the the town lifestyle being one of my favorite parts of the book. More than anything, however, I loved how sex positive this book was. Not only does Elyse engage in safe, healthy and loving sex, she also indulges in self-love, which came as such a pleasant surprise to me. I don't think I've read one YA book where the female character masturbated, so I was beyond happy to see it done so tactfully in The Summer of Chasing Mermaids.

I could go on and on about The Summer of Chasing Mermaids and how much I love this book, but it's not easy to capture the beauty of this book. It's one that you need to experience by yourself. All I'm going to say is, this is a book worth spending every penny on.

Rating

Cover : 5/5
Plot : 5/5
Characters : 5/5
Writing : 5/5

Thank you to Edelweiss and Simon & Schuster for the e-ARC of The Summer of Chasing Mermaids.