**REVIEW** Tangled Tides by Karen Amanda Hooper

  

Karen was the author that truly rekindled me with my love of all things Mermaid!!  I have always loved them but had not had my heart captured by them in a novel until Tangled Tides.  To this day it is still near and dear to me... My first love! 

Yara Jones doesn't believe in sea monsters-until she becomes one. When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious.
Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people-until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process-or she might open the gateway to a love that's deeper than the oceans.

Release Date:  November 25, 2011
Published By:  Rhemalda Publishing 
Review Copy: Paperback, 328pages

*won from Author 

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Review

  I have so much love for this book I am not sure I can do it justice in a review and I am trying to do it as spoiler/story free as possible! This is by far the best mermaid book I have ever read and I am not just saying that because of the gorgeous cover!!! My love for this book started early on and only grew as I read it. You can't help but be hooked on this book from the first chapter where Karen thrust you into a world unknown to Yara and makes it almost impossible to put it down( I had to part with it for bathroom breaks and it wasn't easy). This book is filled with so many refreshing and original characters!! There is not only mermaids but selkies, sirens, gorgons and mentions to other mythological creatures.

  

  Yara is the best character to start with I think.  There was NOTHING about her that I did not love.  She is strong willed, caring and does have a bit of a temper at times.  Right at the start she is taken from her home and has to adjust to being a mermaid and where as most characters I find just accept what happens just like that and keep going Yara doesn't.  There is a fight raging in her and she refuses to just go without asking questions and wants a full understanding.  Even if she doesn't want any part of it she does make the best of it eventually but who wouldn't with a handsome Treygan there so swoon over. 

  Yara is with Rowan (he's selkie) to start there is a lot going on with him that she doesn't know and it does not take her long to figure it out.  However somewhere inside him he really does care for Yara. Once Yara realizes what Rowan`s intentions truly are she realizes Treygan. This also ensures that we don't get sucked into another love triangle (I don't mind them sometimes but this is a refreshing break).  Treygan is easily one of the most difficult swoon worthy guys that I instantly loved.  Even thought he turns Yara into a mer for his own reasons to start he finds himself caring for her.  He has many of his own secrets and a reason behind many of the things he does, even if it does tick you off.  Treygan evokes so much emotion but makes you want to shake him at the same time.

  Yara and Treygan are such a beautiful story in their own.  Their love was not instant and was not supposed to be.  Like all great love though what was meant to be wins over what was not supposed to be.  Where Yara starts off disliking him for what he did and he is in it because it is simply what needs to be done.  When they start to break through it is such a beautiful love!! I would be lying if I told you that there weren't parts of this book near the end that made my eyes tear up.  

  Other characters that deserve a mention are: Kimber, Delmar, Pango and Nixie.  Kimber is by far my next favorite female!  I see her as being not only beautiful and sweet but she is so strong in her own way and I can't say much else without ruining her and I would not want to do that!! Oh, I should put it out there that she is Delmars wife.  As much as I want to go into details about all of these wonderful characters I don`t want to take all your time up while you should be out getting this book!!

  Overall Karen has created such an amazing world.  The characters are brilliantly written and you come to like each one for their differences. Right from the first chapter you will be hooked and wont want to stop!!  You will love the unique things you learn about each character and all of the amazing things and connections the merfolk have!  There is all you could ever want in this book: love, deceit, myths and so much more AWESOME!!  The ending leaves you wanting more but not empty.  It is a must read and was one of my favorite reads last year!!  So if you don`t have this book and want a break from the vamps, shifters and angels but still want the myth and romance PICK THIS UP!!! Hey even if you don't want the break pick it up, YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!!