Jason June’s Out of the Blue turned out to be a surprise hit for me. It was touching, filled with excellent characters, the banter was hilarious, and it put a huge smile on my face. I can’t wait to read it again.
Affiliate Disclaimer: I participate in the Amazon Affiliate program. As such, if you purchase a book through one of my links below, I’ll earn a small commission at no additional cost to you (but I’ll be ever so grateful for your support).
Out of the Blue
🥭🥭🥭🥭.5
🌶️🌶️
(you can find my rating and spice system here)
POV & Tense: Dual POV, First person, present tense.
Genre: YA Contemporary / Urban Fantasy, RomCom, LGBTQ+ (M/Nbi), Sex Positive YA
Tropes: Fake Dating, Grumpy/Sunshine, Fish out of water (literally)
Location: Los Angeles, California
Synopsis:
Crest has no interest in the human world — humans are selfish creatures who throw garbage into the ocean and only care about themselves. They would much rather remain in the ocean with their fellow Merfolk and sea creatures. But, they have no choice in the matter. According to Merfolk tradition, upon their sixteenth birthday, all Merfolk must come ashore and live one full moon among the humans—as a human, with legs and all—and they must earn their Journey Mark by helping a human in need. If they cannot fulfill their goal, they will remain in their human form forever.
Aspiring film student Sean’s Oscar-worthy romcom life is thrown off-kilter when his boyfriend of two years deviates from the script and dumps him for someone else—just before prom. He would do anything to win back his wayward ex. When he encounters a ‘nearly drowned’ person washed up on the beach, things change for the better.
Crest (renamed ‘Ross’ for the duration of their time on land) needs to help a human, and Sean is a human in need. Can these two lost souls fake date to fulfill their mutual goals without catching feelings?
Note: tw for infidelity, if that’s not your thing.
My Review:
This book was so much fun. I wasn’t prepared for how much I loved it. Based on the synopsis, I thought I knew exactly how the story would go, and I was wrong. I love it when stories surprise me with unexpected twists and turns.
Great Characters…
Both main characters are fabulous, with strong character arcs and distinct voices. The chapters are titled according to POV, but it’s unnecessary. You immediately know whose POV you’re in by their perspective and unique voice. I love how Sean makes frequent film analogies and Crest (Ross) uses ocean metaphors. I found Mer culture fascinating and loved learning about how they do everything as a collective, and how every decision they make is based on what will benefit the group.
Besides the two great MCs, I love when stories have amazing side characters. Kavya, Sean’s BFF, is so much fun. She’s loud, and outspoken, makes frequent “and that’s what she said” jokes, and is a terrifying to driver. She also has a secret of her own which makes for a fantastic subplot. (And if I could play character matchmaker, I’d set Kavya up with Fabiola from Aaron Aceves’ This is Why They Hate Us. Both BFFs are wild and push their mc best friends out of their comfort zone. I think these two would be great together, either as friends or something more.)
For both Crest/Ross and Sean, this is a journey of self-discovery. For Crest, it’s all about changing stubborn preconceived ideas and seeing the world through a different lens, and for Sean, it’s about becoming comfortable in his own skin, gaining self-confidence, and becoming self-reliant.
Body and Gender Positivity
Body positivity is a theme throughout the story. Both Sean and Kavya are curvy but kick ass on the swim team, defying expectations. Crest and their obvious attraction to Sean—both physical and emotional—also serves to provide a positive mirror, helping Sean to see his self-worth through fresh eyes.
Gender fluidity is another theme tackled brilliantly by the author, both as a serious issue and providing humourous moments too. Merfolk are non-binary by nature, so it throws Crest for a loop that the universe saw to put them in a man’s body (complete with the ‘eel’ between their legs). They are at first uncomfortable in their own skin, but quickly adapt by casting aside sneakers and donning stylish heels. It’s fantastic how supportive the other characters were of their fashion choices.
This story is what I categorize as sex-positive YA, meaning that teenagers are going to do the deed, and it’s done with acceptance and openness, no shame. I’ve rated this as 2 chilis, and while the sex is on the page, it’s done carefully (aka we know what they are doing, but there’s nothing physical described). Honesty, it’s well done and beautifully written. (Also, it’s totally hilarious that the Mer equivalent of sex is called ‘scaling.’)
Final Thoughts…
All in all, this was a twisty-turny angsty good time. The ending was surprising but satisfying. I highly recommend Out of the Blue—this is a book I will most definitely read again.
Author Stalking (but not in a creepy way):
Jason June is the author of young adult LGBTQ+ contemporary and fantasy books, as well as many adorable children’s books.
Website
Twitter
Instagram
Goodreads
Bookbub
Have you read Out of the Blue? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.
~~If you like books about mermaids, check out my Mermay reclist~~
Leave a Reply