Member Reviews

This book was beautiful and goes way beyond your typical summer romance/thriller. Cara, who just graduated from college, is spending the summer in Martha's Vineyard when she has a summer fling with Brandon, a man who can breathe underwater. The timeline switches between when they first met and the present day, five years after Brandon kidnaps their son.

Some other reviews said the pieces didn't come together nicely at the end, but I personally enjoyed that things were left a little ambiguous. In my own mind, I prefer the more magical explanation for Brandon's gift, and felt like the author left clues throughout the book that let the reader decide what they wanted to believe.

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This book is captivating in the way it portrays Cara’s emotional journey into becoming an adult. Brendan is fearless and pushes the edges of what Cara could and feel she should believe. The author does an excellent job of telling Cara’s story - detailing her struggles and tender parts that allow her to fall deeply in love so quickly. I like the way the themes of dealing with past trauma, possible mental illness and doing what needs to be done fold together in this magical tale. Cara is trying to take a break at her aunt and uncle’s home at the beach after college and prior to starting her “real life.” Her plans and intentions get turned upside down when she meets Brendan. Cara’s attraction to Brendan and his story is magnetic and all consuming. She jumps into her love for and faith in Brendan and fully with both feet and starts a completely different path in her life than she thoughts she would follow. Once I started the book, I couldn’t put it down.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review!

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I greatly appreciate that this didn't end in a "I don't know, YOU tell me what you think happens." Like it's mostly clear that the author plans to do something with it, which I like after the haphazard twists and turns of the latter half of the book. For the record, I very much dig the latter half of the book. The ending picked up in pacing and was every bit as gripping as the early pages weren't. It had ME flipping back and forth on how I thought it would end, which I loved, because at times, it seemed to be heading in a very predictable way. So I appreciate that. And the writing was well-done. It wasn't annoying to read in any respect. You could tell the author put a lot of effort into it and it's very uniquely done for it, which I dig.

I mostly had trouble with the main character, and I think it overshadowed the rest a bit. Granted, it's still miles better than anything I could write, let's be honest. The beginning, however, was a lot of me cringing inwardly at how goddamn stupid our main character is. Like come on? I'm not even close to the most well versed in the dating scene and even I know there were some very heavy red flags being put out by Brendan. Like even if you do mean well or not, no woman should ever stick around to find out because dear god you're doing it in all the wrong ways. It's not sexy and a rush of thrill-seeking adventure; it's just creepy and terrifying. Getting into her house in the middle of the night, sopping wet?

Also at one point, she's like "are you homeless?" and he just assures her they wouldn't have to worry about money, but does not choose to divulge any of said reasons why she should just take his word on it. And she's okay with that. Come on, honey, you've gotta at least do a basic Google search on the guy. I'm only like 12% paranoid when it comes to any strangers ever (an argument can be made for 15), but even I would run a damn search. Or better yet, I'd let my sister run one, because she'll weed out ALL the details. Maybe I'm just too cynical when it comes to this kind of thing, because this is a book we're talking about, but still I feel like I'm a little warranted.

Unrelated, I do wish we got to learn more about the super secret side of the story. Like if that's going to take up a good portion of the book, I want to come away with more answers. But then again, it might be a lead-up to a sequel, so I'm willing to overlook that.

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What a page turner! I finished this book in one day as I was so intrigued with the premise and the characters. The two timelines kept the writing fresh and alternated between 2008 and 2014.
I don’t usually enjoy romance, but I don’t think I’d categorize this book in that genre, even if that’s how it starts. I’d prefer to have seen the book be more of a coming-of-age book. There was suspense, but I don’t think this is a thriller.
I empathized with Cara from the start. A young, insecure art student graduating without any career prospects, Cara has also recently lost her mom and gained a stepmom. The chance meeting of her first love on the beach seems dreamy and unrealistic but I went with it! (I actually wanted to be on that beach!) Without spoiling anything, the reader needs to be able to suspend belief for quite a lot of this book. I liked not knowing where the author was taking me – on a supernatural journey or a road to mental illness. Cara is naïve and so through her eyes we’re not sure either. This was intriguing for me as my eyes were glued to the screen.
As Cara matures, however, she does lose some of the naiveté but there is still a “what if” attached to her in 2014 that we recognize from the earlier girl. I didn’t count the pages, but it seems like the book was unbalanced in that we heard more from 2008 than 2014. Maybe that’s just because I liked the early story better.
It’s a great debut and wonderful writing, but I felt like we jumped from early Cara and Brenden to the end and maybe missed a few chapters? And then Cara, as an aggrieved mom, seems to move onto Graham way too fast in my opinion. He seems to be a bit too saintly to be real and I didn’t buy that relationship at all. The ending was a bit too tidy for me also.
Maybe there’s a sequel in the works? I’d like to know more about what happens with Brenden. He seems to have been just dropped…
Thanks to Net Galley and Gallery Books for this advance copy. I expect great things from this author and will definitely read her next novel.

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Not sure how to review this book. First of all, I received a pre publication copy from NetGalley. Very romantic although appearing to be supernatural. Cara is spending timer on Martha’s Vineyard when she meets the love of her life and has his child. When he and the child disappear, she is devastated and searched to find the truth Well written and super engaging romantic story

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This is going to be a jumbled review because I have a lot of feelings about this one--good and bad. I'll try to refrain from any spoilers.

I'll start with the good. I knew this was going to deal with some mental health topics and that's always a plus for me. However, that didn't happen until almost the middle of the book (the book takes place in a five year span 2008-2014 with a back and forth timeline). Because of that timeline, I would think that the main character would know more about PTSD, there's ton of research on it, but it was kind of annoying for them to be dealing with it and only compare to what they had seen on TV/movies.

The plot had an interesting premise, a boy who claims he can breathe underwater, but it only skimmed the surface. We were suppose to be dealing with father who kidnaps his son, but it was from the mother's perspective and it didn't give enough urgency. In the end, I simply didn't even care about the mother or the son, and the person I did care about (the father) was barely in the story.

Okay. The bad, bad. Kind of a variant of what was said above, I simply did not care about the MC/narrator. Maybe it all just felt very naive from her perspective. Sure, they're young when they meet, but that same blind-love follows them throughout the whole book. I just wish she had simply made a choice that was not based on fear and following her "heart." That was disappointing.

There were a lot of small things in there too that felt incomplete. There's mention of dead parents, parents in jail, distant relatives, but it all just felt one thing after the other. Like, how do we make all of our characters have some type of trauma?

Lastly, and then I swear I'll shut up, is that ugh, I knew the ending from the beginning. Sure, that's okay in some genres, but I thought this would be more of a mystery. Was it a mystery? Was it New Adult? Was it sci-fi/fantasy? A little contemporary? I honestly cannot tell you.

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4.5 stars

I thought this was a really unique story and was genuinely enthralled by the characters and their undeniable connections.

Cara is fresh out of college and staying with relatives on Martha’s Vineyard while she figures out where life will take her next. What she didn’t plan on finding was a naked man stepping out of the sea and practically landing at her feet. But that’s Brenden: funny, charming, and unpredictable. He comes and goes likes waves crashing against the shore, but Cara can’t help but become intoxicated by him. That is until he reveals that he is in the US Special Forces and is capable of breathing under water due to experiments performed on him. But Cara accepts his revelation and loves him regardless.

Things take a dramatic turn when Cara gets pregnant. Not long after Micah is born, Brenden convinces himself that their son is like him (capable of breathing under water). With his paranoia at an all-time high, he and Micah disappear, leaving Cara to worry about what has become of them. In the five years since they’ve be gone, she’s gotten married to another man and moved on with her life. But a local fisherman spots two people in the water, a man and child, and now Cara is certain that Brenden and Micah have returned.

This was such a riveting story and I easily devoured it. Cara and Brenden were such wonderful characters, and my heart ached for each of them but for different reasons. I wasn’t really sure whether to believe Brenden and wondered if he did suffer from mental illness, but at the same time, the end of the story left it open for interpretation. And Cara’s strength was truly admirable. To be put through such heartache for years, not knowing if her son was alive, I think it made her character much more relatable and I really respected her for never giving up hope.

Highly recommend!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4626692374

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At Sea - a book about love and trust, intuition and truth.

I’m hoping there will be a second book because there were a lot of questions left unanswered. Or maybe that was the point? For the reader to decide who is telling the truth, who to trust. I’m still unsure myself and feel incredibly sad for Cara.

Happiness is incredibly fleeting in her life. And the brief moments Cara gets, she goes all in… but is it like the saying goes: love is blind?

There is a lot to unpack with this story, and you have to be willing to go all in yourself. Be willing to believe anything. I’ll admit, initially I was a bit turned off by a few revelations. But once I accepted them and dug in deeper, I appreciated the complicated psychology of it.

Ultimately, it was an easy read and a good story - one I finished in less than 24 hours… I would recommend this book to those willing to keep an open mind and feel the emotional and psychological challenges the characters face.

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A good quick fun read for an afternoon escape, a weekend at the beach, a long plain ride etc. It will take you away and won't disappoint.

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I didn't think I would enjoy this based on the short summary. However, this book kept me so gripped! I was determined to see how this one played out. Absolutely loved the main character, she's been through so much and stayed determined the whole time. It was interesting how it played out, loved the author's style of writing. Such an interesting read!

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This book held such an intriguing premise! A man able to breath underwater due to a secret military surgical modification. I loved that throughout the book there was a supernatural sense, although I wish there had been more of a sci-fi bend to the story.

Cara is a drifting twenty-something college graduate with no job, floundering to find herself after her mother has died. She meets charismatic Brendan who sweeps her off her feet with his non-traditional take on life. I tried to give this character grace since she is still young, but her indecisiveness and lack of common sense was very frustrating. I feel like I have read several books lately with female characters that seem portrayed as dumb and overdependent and I'm feeling over it. In this story, Cara is blinded by her love of Brendan - and yet the depth of their relationship is never really explained. The way she could let so many things be forgiven without a second thought felt questionable. There were many lapses in information, especially regarding the last third of the book.

Even with that frustration though, this book was a page-turner. With alternating timelines (which made reading a tad less cohesive and a little confusing), the reader is lead through the chapters with an increasing amount of tense anticipation. It felt a little reminiscent of the movie A Beautiful Mind to me. Was this a case of delusion and mental illness or of true espionage? That was my favorite part of the book - not knowing which was correct.

This story was a solid 3 stars for me. It was enjoyable, but frustrating in parts as well, though I can see other readers really liking the story and the writer's captivating style. Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC to read and review. Pub date: 4.04.22

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AT SEA plays out like a whirlwind romance mixed with suspense and light thriller elements.

The author really captured that driftlessness of being in your early twenties and done with school, but not sure what to do or where to go with your life. Cara is a little frustrating as a protagonist because she's very naive, but we've all been there and Brendan sounds like he might be worth suspending belief for.

I really wanted this story to take a more "supernatural/ fantasy" turn, but I understand why the author left it open-ended. Super impressive for a debut novel and definitely an author I'll be following.

mermaid-adjacent? idk what to really call this genre, but I enjoyed this and would recommend it!

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Review of At Sea

Emma Fedor does a wonderful job of capturing the complexities (and immaturities) of being a 22 year old, just out of college. And then a 28 year old whose life has been shattered and then put back together, only to be threatened again.
I found it a little bit hard to get into this book in the early chapters. I would have liked a bit less descriptive detail. It didn’t further the story to know what Cara or Brendon had to drink for breakfast. But by the fifth chapter, I was totally absorbed. I was especially intrigued by the character of Brenden. In some ways, Cara seemed like an ordinary young woman who got involved with this complex, somewhat troubled man with a very unusual life. In other ways, she’s an unusual young woman herself. She’s an artist with an artist’s insecurities. But it’s her ability to accept and love Brenden and his secrets that makes her unusual. Nevertheless, the word tortured would well describe that relationship.
I confess I was a little uncomfortable about the ending. I understand why Ms. Fedor ended the book the way she did. I don’t believe it’s a cliffhanger. I think she wants the reader to draw their own conclusions. But it was just a little bit unsatisfying. Overall, I would call it tense but gripping book.

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Oh boy! I’m so pissed! What I like about thrillers is those puzzle pieces that create the big mystery keep pushing your mind to form new theories, making guesses about how all the loose ends will be tied up!
But when I finish this book: I think none of those pieces fit the right places!

This book’s plot line is eccentric! It’s heart wrenching love story and also mystery and also it could be supernatural fantasy! ( I’m not sure about that genre: we don’t have enough clues to decide if this book is about super heroes or not) Because the hero thinks he can breathe under the water. His tells that he’s created in the government lab to develop his extraordinary skills to serve for navy! Or there’s another explanation that he has super powers and he has every right to be scared of people who are chasing him!

Brendan is the broken hero meets Cara at a nude beach, walking out of the sea, dripping, naked, extra charming, playful. And Cara who recently graduated from the college who has no idea how she can effectively use her art degree, grieving from her mother, staying with her auntie and uncle for the summer.

They meet each other. Brendan tells her he’s super soldier created by government. She believes in him without questioning and testing his abilities. They fall in love. But when we move forward we understand, Brendan and Cara had a baby and Brendan kidnapped their son Micah, vanished into thin air. Cara married with Graham, still grieving, looking for them.

There are so many questions keep me agitated:

Is Brendan suffering from mental disease?
Is he telling the truth about government protocols?
Does their son have the same ability? Could he breathe under the water? But how can he inherit the same power if he hasn’t had an operation in the lab? Are Micah and Brendan related with Jason Momoa?

And why the hell Cara is extra naive, indecisive, clueless and irritating from the beginning? Why didn’t she question anything about Brendan and had a baby with him? She was in early twenties when they met so her dumbness and naivety can be understandable but why she’s rushed to marry with Graham if she doesn’t truly love him! By the way she keeps telling that Graham is so sweet but I couldn’t find anything sweet about him: he was mostly pretentious, judgmental, controlling.

I could give four stars to this book ( even five: because I loved the high tension mystery building but I hated the guts of heroine! So I cut one star) if I could get some reasonable and satisfying answers and see the puzzle pieces fit the right places but after finishing it, I realize I have more questions than solid answers. It was still exciting, gripping, riveting reading with dissatisfying ending! So I’m giving three solid, aqua man stars!

I hope the author writes a sequel to answer our questions! I think Brendan deserves more than that! He was the most likable character of the book!

So many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

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Definitely an intriguing and interesting novel! The writing style was amazing and the plot of the book was one that I didn't see coming! I enjoyed the characters and enjoyed having the dramatic aspect to the book. Overall, excellent novel!

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I enjoyed At Sea , there's some good writing and beautiful descriptions. The premise is great, however, it felt unfinished at the end. I never want to give anything away but want to know if Micah was like his Dad. I will keep an eye out for more from Emma Fedor

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Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery books.

Cara has a whirlwind romance, ends up pregnant, and her lover disappears with her child. He said he was a special ops member who could breathe underwater. Several years later, someone seems a man jump underwater with a child. She is convinced that it is him.

I don't want to write too much because I don't want to give it away. There's a lot of questioning reality (Fedor is really convincing!) throughout the book. This is her debut novel, and it's great! I was sucked into the story and I wanted to find out the truth along with Cara! Can't wait for more from this author!

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Throughout this book the reader is not sure whose story to believe – Cara or Brendan…until the very cryptic last page. If you enjoy an interesting read with several twists, this is a must read! I received an ARC from NetGalley, and the opinion expressed is my own.

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I so wanted to love At Sea by Emma Fedor! What a unique concept! A man, in the Army Special Forces, surgically modified to be able to breathe underwater? Brendan, the man falls in love with Cara, but then disappears, after manic mood swings and shows up again, months later, wanting to get married and have a baby? Then disappears again...the book kept me captivated, in spite of Cara making some very questionable decisions regarding Brendan and their child Micah, who Brendan kidnaps and keeps for five years. Yet, after all this, Cara still finds herself in love with him and must decide what to do about him and her current husband. What kept me reading was the hope to find out if any of it was true and where Brendan and Micah had been for all those years, but unless there's going to be a follow up novel, you don't learn more. So frustrating. Had there been a reveal of this information, I may have given it a 4 star review, pushing it to 5 depending on how it was presented. But without this, I"m giving it a 3.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Gallery Books for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

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I cannot believe this book was the author's first - it was AMAZING! The writing was riveting and so beautifully descriptive - I got vibes of Jodi Picoult and the incredible way she puts words together. The storyline was so original and well put together and I was GLUED to the story to find out what happens. The ending came faster than I wanted (I was hoping for just a LITTLE more information!) but I think the ending also makes the reader think, and there's power in that too. Overall, I absolutely loved this book and it's one where the characters stay with you - I have continued to think about this story long after turning the last page. Highly recommend!

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