Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Coming Up For Air

AUTHOR: Amanda Meuwissen

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 191 pages

RELEASE DATE: April 30, 2019

BLURB:

It’s not easy being someone’s fairy tale.

Leigh Hurley is making a name for himself among thieves and criminals, even if it isn’t the life he would’ve chosen. He shouldn’t have screwed over the Moretti brothers, though. It landed him in the river with weights on his feet. But somehow he’s escaped certain death. The last thing he remembers before waking on the riverbank is a beautiful face and a soft kiss.
Then, Tolomeo turns up naked at Leigh’s apartment.
Tolly comes from a race of killers—merfolk who drown humans for fun. But Tolly is different, and when he sees a human in trouble, he offers a kiss, granting the man the ability to breathe underwater… and himself the ability to walk on land, at least until the next full moon. The ancient laws state that if he is given a vow of love by the one he kissed, he will be able to keep his legs. If not, he will be put to death when he returns to the water.
But love is not something Leigh offers easily… and Tolly has a secret of his own.

REVIEW:

*Sighs* what a book. Where do I start? Ok, so merfolk. Perfect right? And this book had everything. Death, hope, love, angst and a lovely ending. Characters who, by all rights, shouldn’t hope for the good, but strive for better. For love and happiness and a life well lived.

Trying to find a way out of this life of crime is nearly impossible. It definitely is now that Leigh is on his way down to his death with cement bricks. But out of nowhere, he sees a face and soon is on the beach, alive. He goes home to crash, hoping he’s safe for the night, since no one expects him to be alive. The next day brings a surprise. A beautiful man named Tolly. The one who saved him. The one he has a bond with now and a secret or two. Surely, mermaids are real, right? But Leigh sees Tolly in the flesh. Tolly becomes Leigh’s bodyguard, friend and lover and hopes one day soon Leigh will love him and seal the pact. But Leigh is caught in the middle of some mob wars, and everyone seems to want him dead. Leigh also doesn’t believe much in love, at least not the words. Between people trying to kill them, and Leigh’s fears, Tolly may not get the love he desires and needs. And if he doesn’t, he will never be able to stay. Time is running out and it’s going to be a toss up what will become the winner.

Maaaaannnnn. Could this be anymore heartbreaking??? Tolly finally having a chance at the love he desires with someone he has grown to love deeply himself. But fear keeps it from coming true. Hoping every day the actions he sees, will become the words he needs to here. Knowing each day is closer and closer to him going away for good. He can’t say anything for several reasons, so what does he do? Oh gah, I wanted to hug him so hard.

But I understood Leigh’s view of things, too. Growing up being constantly told love is no good, seeing the constant backstabbing and hatred and the life of crime everywhere, tends to leave someone cynical and skeptical. He doesn’t know how to let go of the fear to fully love someone. Or so he thought.

It’s amazing how quickly our fears can dissolve when we are losing the one thing that matters more than anything. It’s so hard to let go when it’s staring us in the face. But if we want to keep it, we have to grow and move forward, no matter how hard it may be. These guys, with their backgrounds, had every reason to scoff and say forget it. But together they found something in each other that they never found anywhere else. Even at the scary times. It’s a tearjerker and angsty, but it’s beautiful as well. It’s a good story and one I think you all will love.

RATING: 

BUY LINKS: 

dreamspinnerpress

amazon