Beware the Mermaids
by Carrie Talick
A page turner from start to finish. This book has it all. Scandal ,strong women ,friendship betrayal and revenge. Nancy catch’s her husband cheating on his beloved sailboat . After decades of marriage Nancy moves out and buys a 32ft sailing boat to live on and she teaches her friends how to sail and they will take part in a boat where Nancy and the cheating Roger bet on a winner gets it all. It is the race for her life and everything she holds dear is at stake. Can and her friends win the ultimate prize. Great debut book 4.5/5

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

This book was WILD! I loved it. Scandals, betrayal. Nancy is a fierce woman! It invokes a boat race against her cheating husband. You are whipping through the pages to want to know what happens next. It’s definitely a page turner. The solidarity between these female friends is so heart warming.

This would be a great book to gift to folks -- I can imagine it in a basket with beach / sailing themed goodies.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book was so good and unexpected.

This was one of the most heartfelt stories I have ever read. I loved the friendships between Judy, Lois, Ruthie, Charlotte, and Nancy,. I loved how Nancy showed her strength against her husband and how she stayed strong its her and her friends learned how to sell and when their victories and each of the races they attended. Even though I never have sailed or been on a sailboat in my life I learned different sailing terms, felt like I was on the boat with the other ladies, and cheer them on with their victories, their friendships, etc.

Sequel! Sequel! Sequel!! I would love a sequel to this book told from another person's point of view. Maybe Stella's? I loved the "Golden Girls-esque" tribe in this book. The book is all about sailing and woman power and taking back your power. It was so good. You could feel the love between all of the characters and I would love to see how that all plays out.

Beware the Mermaids by Carrie Talick so easily captures the reader’s interest from the first page that it’s hard to believe this is a debut novel. Nancy’s marriage to Roger is dealt one final blow and she move out and onto a sailboat in a local marina. I loved this fresh and creative setting and it was so well described that I felt as though I was experiencing life on a boat. The characters were interesting with deep rooted friendships. Nancy’s struggle in deciding whether she should give in to others’ expectations or finally believe in herself was palpable. The crescendo of the book was the boat race and finding out whether Nancy would return to Roger. I hope that this was only the first of many novels for this author and I can’t wait for the next one. (I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.)

Nancy walks aboard the family sailboat with three women from a charity group. They walk in on Roger, Nancy's husband, and his lady friend in a naked state. This is the impetuous for Nancy to move out of her home.
With her friends [The Mermaids], she purchases a 32 ft Catalina to live aboard and sail. Meanwhile, Roger, a pyschopath, schemes to get Nancy home as he needs her for his business dealings. All Roger's machinations leads Nancy to realize she really doesn't know him after 30 years of marriage.
A modern sailing story of four mermaids and 1 teenage mermaid.

What a great summer story of friendship and betrayal! Four longtime friends help one of their own who is trying to move past her husband’s recent betrayal He on the other hand will do anything to get Nancy back home. Nancy and her friend’s have other ideas. Throw in some new friends, a cat named Suzanne and a dog named Otis and you are in for a great summertime story climaxing with an awesome yacht race! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am so happy after reading this book of friendships, moving on, finding out what you are capable of and taking chances. I love the cast of characters and especially being mostly over 50.
The setting was sublime on sail boats and marinas, in Southern California, where I am from. The whole book spoke to me on a deep level and I want to share it with all my friends in their 40's, 50's and 60's. Although it will appeal to anyone who loves stories about friendships and continuing and enjoying your life after dedicating it to others.

Imagine having friendships so deep? That when you say you have your tribe you mean it. #bewarethemermaids #carrietalick is a story of friendships. A woman whose been married forever and is realizing that she is more than her husband wife’s. More than a mother. It’s a beautiful story of a woman “finding” herself. Of who and what she is after marriage and motherhood. You will want to be part of this friendship. I wish I had friends like them. A heart warming read that definitely filled me with some giggles. Some tears. And a couple gasps 😂🙈 #netgalley #bookstagram #alcovepress #readersofinstagram #bookrecommendations #readmi #booksofig

Nancy Hadley, is horrified to catch her husband of thirty six years Roger cheating on her with Claire Sanford and on their sailboat the Bucephalus. She’s absolutely furious, she’s had enough and she wants a divorce. Roger isn’t keen to hand over a single dime, not only is he a cheater and he’s tight as well. With the support of her friends Ruthie, Judy and Lois she’s determined to make her own way and she buys her own boat the Gypsea and moves into her floating home with her cat. Nancy has no idea that Bayside Development is planning to ruin the natural harbor and the place she now calls home.

Nancy knows Roger well, he loves to win and his ego is as big as his head. She challenges him to compete in a 125 mile boat race called the Border Dash Race and from Newport Harbor to Ensenada Mexico. The winner gets want they want, in Nancy case she gets her divorce and the Bucephalus. Nancy has prepared her all women’s team, she’s listened to advice, lighten her boat and has a strategic plan to win.

Beware The Mermaids is a story about Nancy seizing her moment, letting go of all the things that have held her back in the past and one of them being Roger. She’s a smart and determined women with a wonderful supportive group of girlfriends and they make a great boat crew.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, a girl power read and four stars from me. I have posted and shared my review on Goodreads, Amazon Australia, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Edelweiss, my Facebook page and my blog.

Wow! I recommend this book! The characters in this book made me feel like I could be any of them. So relatable. It’s beyond the drinking on a boat with friends, it’s the story telling that engages you with the fun characters. The story keeps getting better and better as you go along. Great ending.

Love a strong woman who bands her awesome friends together to help her win a sailboat race. Nancy needs to win in order to not lose their sailboat in a divorce settlement.. Loved reading about this strong, funny group of women and could feel the ocean breezes and the see the sailboat race in my mind as I read.

Beware the Mermaids is a fun, fresh story that has everything you’d want in a women’s fiction novel. When Nancy finds her husband cheating, and learns that he is greedily trying to keep her from her rightful share of their assets, she challenges him to a sailing race in order to win back her beloved sailboat (and maybe a bit of her dignity too).

Nancy is a great character, but the real prize here is the friendship between Nancy and the delightful cast of quirky women friends who set out to help Nancy with her goal. There is nothing like a band of supportive women to help you realize your own power.

I love a story about a “woman of a certain age” who grabs the reins on life at a time when many might imagine that now that her youth is over, her usefulness is over too. This book is about second chances, seizing the moment, getting revenge, and learning that the best revenge is moving on with your life and being happy.

I recommended this one!

Title: Beware the Mermaids
Author: Carrie Talick
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5

Hermosa Beach housewife Nancy Hadley is no pushover. So when her philandering husband, Roger, is caught in flagrante with an opportunistic widow on their racing sailboat, Nancy sticks it to him. She tells him she wants a divorce--with the sailboat, Bucephalus, part of the deal, too.

Roger would rather make Nancy's life a living hell than give up his boat. But Nancy has other plans. After moving out of their opulent home, she and her posse of girlfriends invest in a racing boat of their own to live on, and she teaches them the fine points of sailing. Meanwhile, and unbeknownst to Nancy, a big real estate development is under way that would destroy her beloved harbor and new home. When scheming Roger returns to ask Nancy to help capture the last committee vote--held by Nancy's old college friend--Nancy prepares for battle.

Nancy is not skittish about taking a few risks, so in a bold gambit, she makes a bet with Roger: a showdown in the thrilling Border Dash Race from Newport Harbor down to Ensenada, Mexico. The winner of the race will get everything they want.

Can we talk about how much I didn’t like Roger? Seriously. Total jerk—and he deserved everything he got. I really enjoyed the female friendships and the unique setting. Nancy definitely has guts, and I loved how she realized her own strength—and her supportive group of friends (and family). This was a fun read full of pure pleasure!

Carrie Talick lives in California. Beware the Mermaids is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Alcove Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Beware the Mermaids, by Carrie Talick, is a winner! How can you beat a cheating psychopath of a husband? With strong independent friends, a supportive family, great new neighbors, and a strong-willed woman that won't give up, that's how. I really enjoyed this novel. I did not anticipate it being more than just an ok beach read, but I found it to be one of my favorites of the season. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What happens when you find your husband cheating on you on your beloved boat? And then he refuses to give you a divorce? If you’re Nancy, you make a sailing wager - if you beat him in a high-stakes race, you get the boat and your divorce. But you need a crew - so it’s time to recruit your BFFs and teach those mermaids to sail!

I absolutely loved the girl power in this story! Nancy was a great protagonist, and I loved seeing her friends rally around her in her time of need. Nancy’s relationship with her granddaughter was also a highlight!

Husband Roger’s perspective is also included in the story - it was great having the chance to get inside his evil head. He’s a character I loved to hate.

If you need one last beach read for summer, I definitely recommend this one!

Nancy Hadley catches her husband, Roger, of thirty-six years having sex with another woman. She realizes it's not the first time he has cheated on her and wants a divorce--and their boat. Roger
won't "sully the Hadley name" by agreeing to the divorce, though.

While brainstorming with her wonderful group of friends, she decides to buy her own boat. Judy, her friend, has just come into some money and wants to buy the boat for Nancy to live on. Judy wants, in return, that Nancy teach her to sail.

Roger is quite the jerk in this story. I don't know how he either hid this from Nancy or she just chose to ignore it for so long. Once she told him she wanted a divorce, his ruthlessness came out in full force.

Nancy challenges Roger to the upcoming 125 nautical mile Border Dash boat race. If she wins, she gets a divorce and their boat. If he wins, there will not be a divorce.

I loved Nancy's character. She is a strong and smart woman. She knows what she wants and it isn't to be married to Roger anymore. I love how she wasn't fooled by his conniving ways. She had wonderful and supportive friends, too--her fellow Mermaids. An enjoyable read!

Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.