Category: Contemporary

Mermaid in Manhattan by Jessica Gadziala

On By TracyIn Contemporary, New To Me Author, Paranormal / Fantasy, Rom Com, RomantasyLeave a comment

Mermaid in Manhattan: A Spicy Rom-Com and Urban Fantasy Novel of Magic and Arranged Marriage by Jessica Gadziala

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Release Date: April 23, 2026

When mermaid Princess Iris Marivelle is summoned to appear before her mother, Queen Tatiana of the Seas, she knows it is not going to be good. As the second born, she always knew that she would be slated for a political marriage, but she never expected that she would be betrothed to a human and forced to live on the surface! Iris is stunned by this development and her first meeting with Finn Westrock, NYC mayoral candidate, her intended does not go well – when she upturns her drink on him and returns to the sea. But her mother is not having it and sends her to live with Finn and informs her she will be married in a few months. Angry and hurt, Iris along with her “emotional support pelican” Monty, an enchanted pelican who can talk, she returns to the surface and begins to plot ways to make Finn break their engagement. But as much as she tries to force his hand, Finn is accepting and kind, and she can’t deny she desires him. But as tempting as life on the surface might be, Iris isn’t willing to give up her life under the sea for a man that has yet to reveal his true self to her.

Finn Westrock has been preparing to run for mayor of NYC for as long as he can remember. His best friend and campaign manager, Henry, has convinced him that marriage to a paranormal would be the best thing for his campaign. His first date with Iris doesn’t go as planned, but rather than being turned off, he is intrigued by her. When she moves in, it is clear that she is a fish out of water, and he wants to get to know her, but that isn’t easy when every minute of his life is scheduled. In the meantime, Iris has made some friends of her own and taken up some very weird hobbies. Spending time with Iris becomes a priority and not everyone is happy about that. Clearly, their voyage to HEA isn’t going to be smooth sailing, but will they find a way to make it work or is this relationship doomed to wreck?

This was a new to me author, so I wasn’t sure what to expect and honestly didn’t have high expectations. But I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed this fun fantasy rom com! Right from the beginning I was intrigued and fell in love with the characters. Iris and Finn are wonderful leads, and all the secondary characters are amazing! I did think the story dragged a little and I found Iris a bit self-absorbed at times, but overall, it was a fun read with likable characters, witty banter, a bit of spice and finally a happy ending. I will definitely be checking out this author’s backlist and looking forward to future books!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

 

As You Wish by Danika Brown

On By TracyIn Contemporary, New To Me Author, Paranormal / Fantasy, Part of a Series, Romantasy, Tracy's Reviews, Young AdultLeave a comment

As You Wish (A Brim's Hollow Romance #1)As You Wish by Danika Brown

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: A Brim’s Hollow Romance #1

Release Date: April 14, 2026

For the last ten years Honey Baxter has been the most efficient wishing well auditor at the NYC Bureau of Magical Compliance and is now eligible for a promotion. She has worked hard for the honor of being promoted to Assistant to the Director of Arcane Relations and knows that is her year! She arrives at work expecting to have her review and be informed of her promotion but is instead blindsided by her boss and sent to the small rural town of Brim’s Hollow to audit an old wishing well that has not been audited in over 20 years! Her boss makes it clear that her promotion hinges on the outcome of this case. Honey has rarely left the city and is not prepared for farm life and especially not the Hale Family! When she notices something off about the magic on the farm, she makes a note in her report, never realizing that little note could take everything from the family that she is starting to love.

As a single dad of three lively young girls, Ethan Hale has barely been keeping things together since his wife left. He is on the brink of losing everything he has spent a lifetime building if he can’t find a way to turn things around. At first, he refuses to let Honey access the well, but then decides it is easier to keep your enemies closer; he has big secrets and believes that if he lets anyone in, he will lose everything. But he seriously underestimates Honey, is she the answer to all his problems or is she the straw that breaks the camel’s back?

This was a cute story with very likable characters and a slow-burn (no spice) romance. I loved the idea of this book, and I was thrilled to find a new romantasy author who writes Third Person Narrative with a dual character POV. But as much as I liked this story, I felt like it could have been better, the world building is a bit weak, and the magic system is not clearly defined. I finished the book with a warm, fuzzy, feel-good feeling, but I still had a lot of unanswered questions – primarily about Honey’s family and Ethan’s ex-wife. I sincerely hope the next Brim’s Hollow book might provide some answers to the lingering questions I had with this book and (fingers-crossed) some heat. Overall, it was a cute read with a cozy small-town fantasy romance and a YA vibe.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *