When We Believed in Mermaids

Book club selection. This is not something I would have ever known existed were it not for book club, and while enjoy is a strong word (there's a whole mess of rough stuff in this story, see trigger warnings below) I found myself fully engaged in a book I was prepared to write off from page 1. And I ended up really liking the book overall, except for maybe the last chapter. (But that's a me thing - I would argue it wrapped up either too neatly or too quickly.)

Also, timeline. This book was published in 2019 and presumably takes place in the same general time frame, and presumably one of our main characters, Josie/Mari was able to successfully take on/discard two different identities during the previous 15 years while everyone (admittedly not many people) assumed that she had been killed in a train explosion in Europe. And I'm giving it a little bit of a side-eye that in 2004-ish you could take the passport off one of your fellow dead passengers and pass it off as your own, and continue to get away with all the legal documentation for 15 years (which she would have had to do, as she got married, acquired property, etc.). SIDE EYE. But story reasons. Okay, sure.

But also, you can hate your former self but that doesn't mean you have to figuratively kill yourself off to start over. Like, she could have moved to New Zealand, detoxed, did all the same things, and still let her mom and sister know that she was, you know, not dead in the train accident. Even if she never wanted to see them again.

Again, complicated story, but yeah I still liked it and thought it was overall successful and surprisingly will make for a good discussion. 3.5 stars

TW: child neglect, child sexual abuse (molestation, rape), child physical abuse (off-page), alcoholism, suicide, drug addiction, abortion, fatphobia

This book took forever, I'm talking 70% of the book before the actual story picked up in my opinion. I was going to give it 2 stars, but the explanation of what you've been waiting for and the ending were good. I really hate that it took so long. The chapters alternate from the characters points of view, which I wasn't expecting. The majority of the book is memories but a lot of them come together in the end.

I wish I could give this story at least four stars but the ending was quite disappointing. This is a story of two sisters Kit and Josie who were raised in Santa Cruz CA to parents who never really took the time to raise them. They both encounter hardships and heartbreak so much so that one sister fakes her own death to escape her past.

That alone intrigued me but once we find out the reason for the faked death the story just falls flat. There's a rushed family reunion and a love story that didn't bloom as it should have. I don't feel any closure with this story.

More of a 3.5

Initially reading this I was hooked and enjoyed it. I had already figured out what happened to Josie when she was young, as it was extremely obvious, however that didn't take away from the first half of the book. The second half fell flat and I just wanted to get through it.

What bothered me was how slow it got in some spots. Josie as a character was selfish and her motives for lying to her husband and kids and for putting her sister and mom through that type of grief was quite unbelievable.

I am not in any way discounting what happened to her but I can't see someone faking their death for the reasons she says she did. I had a hard time feeling any sympathy for her throughout and that took away from the overall story.

4.5 stars - I can easily see why this has made it onto lots of “must read” lists - it's the perfect blend of escapist tale (exotic New Zealand), family secrets (boy, what an engaging and fascinating back story these sisters have) and romance. Well written, true emotional resonance, touching family saga, hell of an initial hook. What stopped it from being five stars for me was the fact that both sisters were fabulously beautiful and both their love interests were not only drop-dead gorgeous, but wealthy and famous as well. I like my characters a bit more true-to-life but I do understand the appeal. The ending was perfect.

Barbara O'Neal has been my favourite author for many years, with her early Barbara Samuel books on my keeper shelf, so it was utterly lovely to read this book and be transported back to her days of lush, poignant, evocative storytelling.

As the story unfolds, we learn many dark secrets of the Bianci family and discover what drove sisters Kit and Mari to be the people they are today.

I absolutely loved every nuance, every page, every wonderful description.

Not many books make me cry, this one did.

Devoured it in 2 scorching hot Melbourne days.

Like O'Neal's previous release, [b:The Art of Inheriting Secrets 38093951 The Art of Inheriting Secrets Barbara O'Neal https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1526017073l/38093951.SX50.jpg 59764662], this book is stuffed with a little too much plot in its attempt to be both Women's Fiction and Romance Novel. It's not enough to have a woman searching for the sister she long believed was dead; she also has to fall in love with a handsome Spanish musician along the way. And the sister (not a spoiler, she narrates the second chapter) not only has a troubled past that led to her disappearance, she also just purchased her dream house that was previously inhabited by a movie star whose murder was never solved. Plus there are lots of flashback scenes to the sisters' unconventional, often traumatic childhood. That's a lot to fully cover in 350 pages, and something has to suffer. Unfortunately what suffers most is the sisters' reunion, which feels rushed and unresolved. Also Josie/Mari barely has a chance to reflect on the relationship with her alcoholic mother, who neglected their well-being for years but is now sober and trying to make amends.But still, this is Barbara O'Neal, and she is a talented writer and storyteller. The sisters' characters are fully developed and the dynamic between them feels very real. The flashbacks especially are powerful, and the relationship they had with a young man who was part of their family for many years is complex and tragic. Their shared love of surfing comes through clearly, and I could strongly relate to their need to always be able to see and hear the ocean. It's really a lovely book, but I wish O'Neal had let the characters and plot breathe a little bit. However, at the current price point ($3.99, and available through Kindle Unlimited) I strongly recommend it.

You're Going To Want To Read This Somewhere Where You Can Cry. Wow. This is a tragic tale, all around. It is primarily about two sisters and the scars they share - and the lengths they will both go to try to overcome them. Amazing story, solid mystery (though some of it becomes obvious earlier than the actual reveal). This one will grabs you with the first line, has you tearing up a bit early on... and then can have full on water works through the last quarter to third or so of the tale. Light and airy, this aint - but it is one of the better, more intense dramas I've read this year. A remarkable contrast to O'Neal's 2018 book The Art of Inheriting Secrets. Very much recommended.