Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
I was so intrigued by the premise but overall the book just didn't do it for me.

I loved the idea of this story but could not get attached to the characters or plot. The characters felt immature to me. I wanted more from this book but I can see why people like it.

The cover is totally amazing 😍

I liked this novel. I seldom read #Romantasy but this time my interest had been picked by the main theme of this book: Longing for the sea.
It was very clearly inspired by The Little Mermaid in that respect, and was curious about how the author would develop the plot.

One thing that I very much loved is the worldbuilding. It is so brilliantly and precisely described, I was instantly taken to that village by the sea, the castle and the other dreamlike locations. It's very beautiful, the setting in the sea reminded me of Disney movies, and ashore by the sand I could imagine the view I used to look at when I went at the seaside.
It is not something every author is capable of doing.

The author deals with many delicate themes: f4tphobia, feeling like you don't belong where you should, taking responsibilities, having to give up what you really want in exchange for what you must do. There are also two LGBTQ+ characters who disappointed me a little, as they are quite in the background.

The style is very polished, it is very well edited and cared for. It is direct, normal, without a complicated use of words.

I absolutely advise this book to anyone - adult or YA - who's taking their first steps into a Fantasy world - more specifically, a Fantasy Romance (Romantasy).

Such a fun fantasy new adult romance mash up of the Little Mermaid and Brave featuring a fat, neurodivergent (ADHD) FMC. This was well-written, fast-paced and had such great mental health rep (depression) - a welcome addition to the genre and perfect for fans of authors like Stephanie Garber. Many thanks to NetGalley and the author for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

A genderbent Little Mermaid meets Brave retelling featuring a demisexual plus size princess who falls for a merman. Kenna is the princess and it's her duty as the first born to marry... even if it's the last thing she wants. Kenna is demisexual so it takes an emotional connection for her to be attracted to someone, and after being burned by the last guy she was in love with she's determined to close her heart off. Yet when her parents tell her it's time to get married she has to choose between the suitors that have come... and the mysterious man who calls to her is hiding something big. Cameron Mackenzie might seem like a charming and handsome suitor... but something about him draws Kenna in... and it just might be the fact that he is actually a mermaid. All her life Kenna has believed in mermaids despite no one else believing in them. So when Cam finally proves her suspicions... she chases after him only to end up stranded on an island with him. Kenna has a duty to marry... but her heart calls for the ocean, can she find the right path for her? Let's start off with the good, I loved that this book had a lot of representation from having a plus sized demisexual protagonist to having lgbtq characters, ADHD, and depression representation. I think it's definitely a fun unique take on the classics and I enjoyed that it was set in Scotland and had a strong protagonist. Now onto the other... while I liked that it was a take on the classic stories, it just felt kind of lackluster and meh to me. It wasn't exactly captivating or exciting, it just was. I really wanted to like it but it just didn't really work for me unfortunately. The story itself didn't feel as if it flowed well and I did find myself getting bored at certain points despite this being a fairly short book. I didn't really feel the chemistry between Kenna and Calder, and for Kenna being a 22 year old princess meant to take the throne she came off as juvenile and so much younger. Calder didn't really feel like he had a personality all that much and the insta-love/attraction felt off because the protagonist constantly tells us she is demisexual. Overall, if you enjoy fairytale retellings, definitely give this one a go, maybe you'll have a better time with it than I did.

*Thanks Netgalley and Pug Press Publishing for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

2.5
this was a very hard read for me, the plot was good however it just looked like something i would watch in a barbie movie, didnt feel any conection with any character and the main couple just felt a bit forced.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

This was a really nice concept and I wish I had liked it more, but sadly, the book fell flat for me and I ended up DNFing about 30% in.
I got really excited about the book when I saw that it has fat, bi/demisexual and mental illness rep, and I think it's great that the author included all that.
However, as far as I could tell, I didn't fully love how it was done because, up to where I got, it was very focused on the FMC's insecurities and others making fun of her for who she is.
Obviously, these things happen in real life and I think it's totally fair not to write fantasy worlds where everyone is accepted for who they are, but I just really struggled with the way the FMC was written.
Of course, I don't know how the novel ended and how her character developed, but it just felt a bit like... she doesn't realize she's actually great until the love interest shows her.
This is just personal preference, I'm sure other people will relate to the FMC, but for me, I just didn't like the way this was executed.

The story itself was fine; it is a gender-bent Little Mermaid retelling, so you know what to expect. I really liked the world and that there are many magical creatures in it, even though they're hidden or haven't played a big role so far, but the setting definitely had me intrigued.

Ultimately, the writing didn't manage to hold my attention. It was decent but felt a bit flat.
All those things combined led to my decision to DNF.

I hope others will enjoy this book more, and I'm definitely willing to give the author another chance in the future.

When I tell you, I squealed when Kenna's true identity was revealed! I knew there was a reason why she was drawn to the sea, but I never thought that was why. Wow, this book was just so fun to read. I did get a little confused between the five men vying for Kenna's hand (besides Camron, because who can't distinguish him from all the others?) but once things started picking up, I could not put the book down.
Although this book deals with a lot of heavy topics, I love how Kenna didn't allow the negativity to break her down. She flourished into such a beautiful woman that I feel like a proud friend.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC for my honest review.

I will upload my review soon to my Instagram (link will be added down below)

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher and my review is an honest representation or rather summary og how i felt reading this book.

This book promised so much and failed to deliver. As someone who loves merfolk tales and retellings of the little mermaid, I had hopped this story would do the story justice but I fear it didn't. The story felt rushed. The world building felt bland and incomplete. The author tried so much to make this book as diverse as they possibly could and instead clogged it with so many unnecessary details that ruined it. What would have been a plot twist at the end felt like something that was obviously coming. My other issue is definitely the cover. It's basic and needs to be improved upon. Otherwise, great potential but poor execution and I rate it 2 stars out of 5

I'm torn with this book. There were aspects I loved: the dialogue, how relatable Kenna is, the love interest and the representation throughout the book However it starts and ends there. Almost reads as Wattpad fanfiction due to all the cliches and how predictable it is. The other thing that slightly irked me is how there are multiple parts where Kenna talks about her body for nearly a page. I totally get body positivity and representation, however, there are moments where it makes sense for the commentary (while remembering her childhood) and moments where it takes away from the story and interrupts the world the author describes. What I'm trying to say is that it seems to almost come out of nowhere multiple times. There are moments where I love the writing style and then moments where it switches and I hate it. All in all, it had a lot of potential. I just wish the book had kept consistent with one writing style throughout and hadn't had what feels like every mermaid cliche in popular media.

As the description suggests this story is a cutesy but spicier retelling of Brave and the Little Mermaid. It's a light hearted romantasy but I also felt it was a coming of age story were the main character, Kenna, finds acceptance within herself and her place in the world.

The story includes representation of characters who are fat, LGBTQ, have ADHD, and go through depression. In a world were society continues to tell women how they need to look in order to be perceived as beautiful, it is refreshing to read a story about a fat main character and romantic lead who learns to accept and love themselves as they are. Although, there are a couple minor characters who do shame the character for her body type the rest of the major characters, protagonists and antagonists alike, never make her being fat an issue or diminishes her value which I really appreciated.

The plot moves a bit too quickly for me, same with the romance. All problems are faced and resolved within a few days and I would have loved to read move about Mharìogh and the magic it holds.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was intrigued by the summary and was excited to read this book. Unfortunately this was not a book for me. I was tempted to DNF more than once, but kept going, to see if it might get better. It did not.
The idea of a Little Mermaid retelling and a protagonist who is plus sized, neurodiverse and demisexual sounded like great representation. The execution did not live up to the expectation. I did not find the characters engaging. The MC’’s parents and brother were very vaguely sketched. The love interest had no depth and very little characterization. The insta love/insta attraction felt off for the characters, especially the MC who tells us many times that she is Demi sexual. Among other things she tells us.

The writing style was very much telling, not showing. Lots of telling. Repetitively. It was also a writing style that felt far more juvenile than expected in a book with explicit sex scenes. The main character is 22, heir to the throne and about to get married, but she came off as very immature—in actions and mindset. A lot of immature behavior and thoughts and a lot of bursting into tears. The sex scenes were lackluster.

I’m not sure about the setting—it’s a fantasy world with faeries and mermaids (with overt Scottish overtones but it isn’t set in Scotland) but that was about the extent of the world building.

I didn’t find the characters or story engaging. I’m sorry to say that, as the summary drew me in enough to request it. But the story itself did not sustain my interest.

My thanks to the NetGalley for this ARC. This is my personal opinion.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3

I decided not to finish this book after reading 68%. Both of the main characters felt very childish to me in a way that didn’t make sense for where they are in life. Kenna is 22 and preparing to become the Queen but I felt like her voice/pov didn’t reflect that.

This book weirdly felt out of time and place, I couldn’t get a sense of what time period this was supposed to reflect, especially because some of the wording was very modern, for example the word lumberjack was used early on and distracted me enough that I looked up it’s origin. The writing felt a bit repetitive and did a lot of telling and not showing, for example we are told a lot that the world doesn’t accept Kenna as she is and that she doesn’t fit in but we don’t really get to see that in action, there’s one character who we see bully her but it’s nothing indicative of a pattern. Because of that I found it very hard to emotionally connect to Kenna.

The plot was interesting, I enjoyed to nods to The Little Mermaid, Brave, and it seemed like Moana as well. But once they are stranded on the island you would think there would be a sense of urgency or worry about getting back home, but there isn’t. The characters don’t even really discuss trying to leave the island or making a plan.

As for the love interest and romance, it just wasn’t working for m. His motivations made absolutely no sense and felt childish even after we learn what he has been hiding. It never seemed like there was anything more than attraction between them, even though we are told many times that Kenna doesn’t feel physical attraction until she gets to know the person.

Overall this book just wasn’t for me which is a shame, but I feel like a lot of my complaints could be chalked up to this being a debut, so I won’t write off Emily B. Rose just yet.

I frigging loved this book, and honestly felt so connected to this author from the beginning. Having a Scottish heritage, I have always had a soft spot for anything Gaelic. As someone who is plus sized, has anxiety and is neurodiverse, it was so nice seeing that representation in a novel.

This was such a fabulous reverse retelling of The Little Mermaid based in Scotland. I adored Kenna’s stubbornness and sassy attitude, and how the story developed from a competition for a princess’s hand in marriage to so much more adventure and plot development. The love story from the main characters was a bit too insta-love for my preference, but that truly is aligned with the original story. I’m also not usually a fan of virgin FMC’s, but I understand how it led to the character development we needed in Kenna.

Honestly, I never really liked The Little Mermaid much as a kid, and I used to think that it was because I found Ursula too scary, but I think it just needed a better love story, and Call of the Sea was exactly that. It took you on an enchanting and beautiful adventure that demonstrates a love developed from trust, communication and sacrifice.

Overall rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️ (rounded up)
Spice rating: 2/5 🌶️

What a diverse and phenomenal story of a chubby girl like me finding her happily ever after. It was beautifully written and quite entertaining. As a huge Disney fan it did little mermaid and brave proud in my opinion. It was a super fun fast ride and I would definitely recommend this to my friends and audience!

I have never identified more strongly with a character than I identified with Kenna. I found myself crying with her, cheering for her and applauding who she grew to become - all while staying true to herself.

Kenna grew up being mocked for her size and used for her position as princess as a means to be close to the royal family. She was awkward around others and always felt a bit different. She has always felt called to the sea, without ever understanding why... Her parents arrange a Winchin Festival during which she is to choose a husband, hoping to settle the growing unrest throughout the kingdom.

Things are not as they seem though, and Kenna's world gets turned upside-down as truths are revealed, dreams are lived and true love is found.

I could not put this down and highly recommend it to anyone who has felt different or shunned. We all deserve a happy ending.

The writing is solid, providing a straightforward narrative as outlined in the summary. What you read is exactly what you get. The layers of representation added to the fmc are a refreshing dynamic for the story, even though it seems a bit forced in the beginning. However, as the plot unfolds, the integration of this representation into crucial plot points feels more natural. I often find that retellings fall flat, but the description of genderbent Little Mermaid meets Brave is pretty spot on for the vibes. A decent read, especially for those who appreciate a familiar feeling read!

Call of the Sea was exactly what it promised to be, a gender bent Little Mermaid meets Brave retelling which made the Disney child within my heart insanely happy.

Here is what this book got right: the plot was intriguing. I found myself getting lost within the pages without realizing how long I was reading. The character descriptions were phenomenal, I really felt like I knew the characters by the end of the book. The scenery descriptions were also top notch. I loved the story and the banter while Kenna and Calder were on the island together made me feral for more.

Here is the reason this book is getting a 3.5 from me: The story itself felt a little juvenile. This was supposed to be a N.A. book and I felt like the writing was more geared toward YA (minus the sex scenes obviously). I think the writer is very talented. I enjoyed reading this book, but it did feel a little rushed to me in the end. I also think this book did some telling instead of showing.

Overall I’m glad I read this story and am thankful I received this ARC.

Thankyou to Netgalley for an arc of this book! Considering this is the authors debut novel this was so impressive I really liked the elements of brave and little mermaid and think the story had lots of little twists and turns along the way, nothing dragged too much or felt rushed and I really liked the connection kenna had with her family and felt that this was the overarching message. Overall very enjoyable fairly low stakes fantasy romance 🤩

I recommend Call of the Sea to anyone who loves a little mermaid retelling, the movie brave, and the invisible string trope.