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Review: A Mermaid Moon by Colleen Coble

A Little Too Predictable

Mallory Davis is a widowed jewelry designer from Bangor, Maine, and the mother of fourteen-year-old Haylie. Life is hard but she’s making it when one phone call changes everything. Her estranged father calls, and she heads back to her home town to find him dead. Possibly murdered. She reconnects with her teenage sweetheart to try and find who was after her father—and who is now after her and her family.

Mermaid Moon incorporates characters and locations from some of Colleen Coble’s previous contemporary romantic suspense novels, some of which I’ve read and some of which I haven’t. This meant several of the (many) characters introduced in the early chapters were recurring characters from previous novels, which I didn’t know. I found the number of characters confusing, but this perhaps wouldn’t have been an issue if I’d read all the previous books (and read them recently. Like, not read 100+ books since).

The characters and plot were interesting enough, but I did find the story a little predictable. The identity of the evildoer was pretty obvious from the start, although the motive was less obvious (and felt almost contrived when it was finally revealed). I also guessed the other big secret long before it was revealed, which took away from the suspense. In contrast, the big mysteries were never properly answered. Why did Mallory run away? (I didn’t find the reason given convincing.) Why did she marry so quickly after leaving?

I was also puzzled by the scene with forensic artist Gwen Marcey, ironically the only minor character I recognised. Gwen is the heroine of the excellent Gwen Marcey thrillers by Carrie Stuart Parks, yet there was no acknowledgement that the author had “borrowed” characters from another novel. Surely she had--it seems beyond coincidence that two authors would imagine a character with the same unusual name and almost unique occupation. A strange puzzle which unfortunately distracted me from the main plot.

Overall, I found Mermaid Moon to be a solid suspense novel, but lacked the spark of originality I’ve seen in some of Colleen Coble’s earlier novels.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

Review and Giveaway: A Heart's Home by Colleen Coble

A hidden pregnancy, a promise sure to break hearts, and a tragic loss at Fort Phil Kearny: Don't miss the gripping conclusion in book six, A Heart's Home, of Colleen Coble's A Journey of the Heart series. With the Sioux Wars threatening outside the fort, Emmie’s solemn vow threatens her happiness from within. Will she honor a promise sure to break her heart—and Isaac’s? Or is there another way to find a home for her heart?

Colleen is celebrating the final book release of her A Journey of the Heart series by giving away the entire series and the chance to host Colleen virtually at your book club, local library, or women's group to talk about the series.

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• Books 1–6 of A Journey of the Heart series
• A chat with Colleen via Skype or Google Hangout
• A custom book-club kit PDF, featuring Colleen's favorite recipes and group discussion questions

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 31st. Winner will be announced September 1st on Colleen's website.

My Review

I haven’t enjoyed this series, partly because the beginning of each book has included what turned out to be a plot summary (i.e. detailing what happens at the end) rather than a book description (setting up characters and conflict to entice the reader to read). A Heart’s Home managed not to include the spoilers (yay!), but still didn’t deliver for me.

Basically, my problems have been the same throughout the whole series. It’s been driven by external conflict to the point it’s crossed the line from drama to melodrama, and this final book was no exception. Emmie is now engaged to Isaac, although she still hasn’t told him her Big Secret, and she’s afraid jealous Jessica will tell him first …

Then I-don’t-want-to-tell-you-what happens (because that would definitely be a spoiler, and the series has had quite enough of those already, thank you), which puts Emmie’s engagement in danger … and the whole plot turns and more Bad Things happen and the Big Secret is completely forgotten (as is Jessica, although that might not have been a bad thing).

I got to the end and, yes, there’s a big Happy Ever After and cliché epilogue but no mention of Jessica or the Big Secret (that’s not a spoiler: this is marketed as a romance series, and I’d have hated it if we didn’t at least get the promised HEA ending. As it is, I merely disliked it). At this point, I’m not even clear with the Big Secret was. Unless it wasn’t such a big secret and somehow I missed it. There’s also the implication that Jessica must have Something Horrible in her past to make her into the horrible person she is, but this isn’t followed up on either.

Overall, there was too much drama (melodrama?), too little character development and too many plot holes for me to consider this even okay. It’s a shame—I like Colleen Coble’s contemporary romantic suspense novels. But I’ve read all six books in this series and one or two of her other historical romances, and I have to say I’m not sold. Even discounting my preference for romantic suspense over regular romance, Coble’s historical offerings simply aren’t as good as her contemporary stories.

Thanks to Litfuse and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.