It’s Mermay, and that means it’s time for us to obsess over mermaid and mermen romance novels (although truth be told I do that all year anyway). This is the second volume of my Mermay rec list. I went into some of the history and folklore surrounding mermaids and sirens last year so I won’t repeat it here, but you can read all about it here (link to last year’s rec list.
There’s something irresistible about mermaids and mermen from their ethereal beauty to their formidable strength and underwater adventures. If you write a novel and include a mermaid, siren, merman, or fish creature, I will be lured hook, line, and sinker. I am incapable of resisting.
Last year, I divided my rec list into young adult, adult, and spicy adult categories. This year, I’ve done it differently. I’ve divided the books into three groups: Mermaid and Siren, Mermen, and Fish Monsters. Most books are adult with a mix of spice ratings, but I do have one young adult novel in the mix. I’ve rated every one of these books either a four, four and a half, or five stars (I only include four and up on my rec lists).
Later in the month, after I’ve posted all the reviews, I’ll add selections from my TBR of mermaid and mermen romance novels. (There are so many good ones out there, my list is neverending).
You can find my rating and spice scale here.
Mermay Book Recs Based on Vibes:
✨ If you’re into historical romance, check out: A Ship of Bones and Teeth, Providence Girls, and Rescued by a Sea Nymph.
✨ LGBTQ+ reads — Sapphic books (FF Romance) with mermaids and fish monsters include Ice Massacre and Providence Girls. For Achillean books (MM Romance) with mermen, there’s Sacrifice the Sea, Hunger, and The Dark, Dead, Deep (reverse harem / why choose romance with MM). There are more LGBTQ+ recs on my TBR list.
✨ If you’re a fan of romance with a language barrier, you’ll love Whispers of the Deep and the first two short stories in Hunger.
✨ For fans of Greek Mythology, check out: Rescued by a Sea Nymph and Hard Bubbles.
✨ If you’re into horror or horror elements in dark fantasy, check out: Providence Girls, Hunger, and A Ship of Bones and Teeth.
✨ For books inspired by The Little Mermaid, there’s: Sacrifice the Sea, A Ship of Bones and Teeth, and Rescued by the Sea Nymph.
✨ If you’re into possessive mc / “touch them and die” vibes, you’ll love: Whispers of the Deep, Hard Bubbles, and A Ship of Bones and Teeth.
Affiliate Disclaimer: I participate in the Amazon Affiliate Program. As such, if you make a purchase through one of my links below, I’ll earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Books with Mermaids and Sirens
Ice Massacre by Tiana Warner
Ice Massacre by Tiana Warner (Mermaids of Eriana Kwai Book 1)
🌶️
[YA Contemporary Fantasy with FF romantic subplot (which will play a larger role in the later books), Single POV, first person, past tense, set off the coast of Alaska and northern British Columbia]
The people of Eriana Kwai are starving, and unable to fish because of the ‘sea demons’ lurking in the waters. Every year they send twenty young men to fight the mermaids, and they inevitably fall prey to their beauty and are lured to their deaths. But this year will be different—they’re sending young women. Eighteen-year-old Meela prepares for the fight of her life along with her peers, but no one knows the dark, traitorous secret she hides.
I enjoyed Ice Massacre a lot and can’t wait to continue the story in the next books. I’m a fan of battle scenes and there are plenty. The mermaids are cunning adversaries, but the young women are resourceful. The mermaids are flesh-eaters, so there’s plenty of blood and gore (but I wouldn’t call this a horror). Read my mini review here.
If you like this book, you should check out Sarah Porter’s Lost Voices series.
A Ship of Bones and Teeth by Karina Halle
A Ship of Bones and Teeth by Karina Halle
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
[MF Historical Dark Fantasy Romance, Dual POV, first person, present tense, dark Little Mermaid retelling]
When Maren made a bargain with the sea witch, giving up her fins for the love of a prince, she never expected a lifetime of abuse at his hands. When their ship is captured by notorious pirate Captain Ramsay “Bones” Battista, and when Maren learns that he too has a bone to pick with the sea witch, Maren hatches a plan to get her old life back.
There are so many elements coming together to make this a fantastic read. I don’t want to spoil them all, but there are pirates, sea witches, and female monsters (the sirens have sharp teeth and claws and aren’t afraid to use them). Read my review here.
I’m excited for the sequel coming this month (on May 26th, 2024) called An Ocean of Sin and Starlight.
Rescued by a Sea Nymph by Rebekah Lewis
Rescued by a Sea Nymph by Rebekah Lewis (London Mythos Book 1)
🌶️🌶️🌶️
[Historical Fantasy Romance, Dual POV, third limited, past tense, Greek Mythology, Regency Era, set in London, inspired by The Little Mermaid and Peter Pan, human x mermaid]
When James, the son of a Viscount who moonlights as a smuggler, is taken hostage and thrown overboard minus a hand, he expects to die. But he’s rescued by the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. Sea nymph Ione (pronounced ‘ee-oh-knee’) is long overdue to mate but refuses to drown her conquest. What if she enjoys it and wants to do it again? Poseidon grants her three days to decide whether James is worth giving up her fins and immortality. Ione wants to have her way with her man, while James wishes to protect her virtue. What’s a nymph to do?
This was my first book by Rebekah Lewis, and I am a fan. I love the combination of Regency Era society with Greek mythology; it makes for such a unique story. I recently binged Bridgerton so this story hits all the right notes for me. There’s a sequel involving James’ sister, Wendolin, and many other books in Lewis’ backlist that I can’t wait to explore. Read my mini review.
The Gargoyle from General Management by Kate Prior
The Gargoyle from General Management by Kate Prior (Claws & Cubicles Book 3)
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
[MF Monster Romance, Romcom, Single POV, first person, present tense, siren x gargoyle]
Siren Gwen doesn’t see why she needs to attend the company retreat. She’s from Monster Resources, not a part of the team. To make matters worse, it’s her yearly feeding cycle, and she keeps running into an attractive gargoyle at all her most embarrassing moments.
I am a huge fan of this series and Kate Prior’s brand of humor. Every one of her books is a good time and this one is no exception. You can read this as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading them in order so you’re familiar with the other characters when they make appearances. You can find my detailed review here.
The Dark, Dead, Deep by Michaela Haze
The Dark, Dead, Deep by Michaela Haze (Twilight Lake Book 1)
🌶️🌶️🌶️
[RH / WC Dark Fantasy Romance, Single POV, first person, past tense, inspired by Romeo and Juliet, undine x mermaid x selkie x kelpie x nymph]
Maeve is the rightful queen of the Undine Court, but her uncle has taken the throne and won’t allow her to rule. He says it’s because her mother went mad with the power, but he’s power-hungry himself. The five fae courts of the Twilight Lake have been at war for far too long. During her migration, the Undine rite of passage, Maeve is left for dead and rescued/kidnapped by four princes from enemy courts. To end the war, they declare Maeve their fated mate. But the deception can only last so long.
The Dark, Dead, Deep is a slow-burn reverse harem / why choose dark fantasy romance between an undine princess, and four princes—a mer, a selkie, a nymph, and a kelpie. I loved this one so much! Filled with fascinating world-building and a toe-curling slow burn with an enemies-to-lovers arc that’s only just getting started, I can’t get enough. The story is so well done. It ends on a cliffy, and I need to dive into books two and three ASAP. Read my mini review.
Fantasy Novels Featuring Mermen
Sacrifice the Sea by Anna Fury and Amy Pennza
Sacrifice the Sea by Anna Fury and Amy Pennza (Beautiful Nightmares Book 3)
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
[MMM Dark Fantasy Romance, Multi POV, first person, present tense, dark Little Mermaid retelling, Age Gap, merman x merman x sea witch]
To secure victory over the Leviathans, King Triton, Lord of the Sea Syndicate; and Ari, Triton’s second-in-command and lover; must do terrible things for the greater good. But there’s one line they won’t cross: killing an innocent. Instead, they confine Ursan, the sea witch child, to a cave. Out of sight, out of mind. But when Ursan comes of age and comes into his power, it might ruin everything.
Sacrifice the Sea—in fact, the entire Beautiful Nightmares series—was one of my top reads of 2023. It was part of my tentacles rec list and I’m here pushing it again for Mermay. This book, this world, lives rent-free in my mind. You can read this as a standalone, but you’ll likely get sucked into this wondrous dystopian world that Fury and Pennza have created where the creatures of myth live alongside humans. I read the series out of order (Sacrifice the Sea was the first one I read) but I highly recommend reading books one through four before book five as the characters make reappearances in the conclusion. You can read my detailed review here.
Hard Bubbles by Leah Legend
Hard Bubbles by Leah Legend (Shifter City Book 1)
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
[MF Paranormal Romance, Dual POV, first person, present tense, fated mates, merman x human]
When Desiree moves to Shifter City, America’s shifter capital, the last thing she expects—or thinks she needs—is for a merman shifter to stake his claim on her. No matter how hard she tries to resist, their fated bond will not be denied.
Hard Bubbles is Leah Legend’s debut and it’s fabulous! I’m so happy I discovered her and this book because her writing is gorgeous. This is the type of story that sucks you in and makes you want to exist within the pages. Desiree and Jaxon’s chemistry is sizzling, and now I want my own pet hippocampus. Read my detailed review here.
Shifter City book two is a bear shifter romance and will be released later in 2024.
Hunger by Adara Wolf (Short Story Anthology) — “Song of Stars and Sea” and “Language of Sea and Stars”
Hunger and Other Tales of Erotic Horror by Adara Wolf
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
[MM Erotic Horror, Single POV, third limited, past tense, merman x human]
This short story collection features eight deeply intriguing stories. The first two (the merman stories) are connected and together can be classified as a romance, as they have a HFN/HEA ending. While there are some horror elements, it’s overall a very sweet tale. The other stories are horror erotica and are not romances, so don’t expect a HEA. There are trigger warnings at the start of each story, and most have dubcon or noncon elements.
So, I bought this short story collection exclusively for the merman stories. I enjoyed them, but I’ve got to say I loved the demon and alien stories even more. I love unique tales, and these were fantastic. They’re short and sweet, but packed with details that kept me wanting more. I’m hooked and intend to read more from this author. Read my mini review.
Whispers of the Deep by Emma Hamm
Whispers of the Deep by Emma Hamm (Deep Waters Book 1)
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
[MF Fantasy Romance, Science Fiction, Dual POV, third limited, past tense, dystopian, language barrier, women in STEM, merman x human]
After destroying the atmosphere, humans inhabit the ocean in cities made of glass. But the undine—powerful creatures with long tales and sensitive gills—resent the human encroachment and will do anything to be rid of them once and for all. Arges, the leader of his pod, steals a human. He’s supposed to use her for information and then dispose of her. But the more time he spends with Mira, the less he feels like killing her. She belongs to him.
This story deserves an A+ for world-building. I loved every moment discovering Mira and Arges’ differences in physiology, and I felt like I could reach through the pages and feel the soft texture of his delicate gills. Language barrier is one of my favorite things in alien and fantasy romance and it’s done really well here. Read my mini review.
What’s Luck Got to Do With It by Kel Bruem
What’s Luck Got to Do with It by Kel Bruem (Unusualities Book 1)
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
[MF Contemporary Fantasy Romance, Romcom, Dual POV, first person, past tense, set in Boston, mershark x leprechaun]
Caoimhe (pronounced ‘kwee-va’) has luck on her side and loves her life in Boston, but keeping her leprechaun heritage a secret weighs on her. When she takes on a mysterious new client amid a social media scandal, her heart and her secrets are on the line. Leith runs a tour boat company with his aquatic friends, and as much as he loves life on land, the call of the ocean is stronger. Until he meets Caoimhe, whose heart is as guarded as his fishy secret.
This one was a lot of fun. It’s a romcom, so there’s plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. I’ve never read a book with a leprechaun protagonist, so that was fun, and I love that Leith and Will are mersharks. There is a lot of interesting world-building upon which many future books can be based. Eve is my favorite side character, and I can’t wait to read her book next. Read my mini review.
Monster Romance with Fish Monsters
Providence Girls by Morgan Dante
Providence Girls by Morgan Dante
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
[FF Historical Horror Romance, Dual POV, first person (epistolary), past tense, fish monster x human, tw: mentions of SA]
After escaping her small town and narrowly avoiding being sacrificed to the gods, Lavinia braves the woods. By chance, she is discovered by Asenath (Azzie), who nurses her back to health. Slowly the two learn to trust one another. But Azzie has secrets, and as they fall in love, neither can deny the bizarre changes to Azzie’s body.
Providence Girls is a unique story rich with Lovecraftian imagery. I’m such a huge fan of cosmic horror and body horror. Morgan Dante’s writing is beautiful and I love that this is a sapphic romance with middle-aged protagonists. (Link to mini review.)
Breathless by Cat Wynn
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
[MF Monster Romance, Single POV, first person, past tense, fish monster x human]
Agoraphobic former model Jules risks leaving her apartment when her online crush sends her a strange photo. Turns out he’s part-fish, part-man. Amid her growing attraction, danger lurks for both.
I loved this one so much. It was my first book by Cat Wynn and I really like her writing style. I can see myself reading more from her. The first few chapters immediately pulled me in, and every time I thought I knew where the story was going, it went somewhere else (love that!). I am a fan of creatures with interesting anatomy and this one ticked that box with a giant check. (Link to mini review here.)
Mermay TBR — More Siren, Mermaid and Mermen Romance Novels
There are only so many books I can get through at a time and the books listed above are just the books I’ve read and loved since last year’s rec list. Here’s a sneak peek of my Mer TBR. Many of the above books have sequels that are also on my TBR, but the images below showcase authors I haven’t featured yet.
Add these and more to your Goodreads (here’s a link to my shelf dedicated to Mermaid, Siren, and Mermen books where I’m always adding new Mer books).
~~If you want more mermen and mermaids, check out my 2023 MERMAY REC LIST~~
Background Image Credit: Ocean shoreline
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