Coming Up for Air

by Amanda Meuwissen

It's not easy being someone's fairy tale. Leigh Hurley is making a name for himself among thieves and criminals, even if it isn't the life he would've chosen. He shouldn't have screwed over the Moretti brothers, though. It landed him in the river with weights on his feet. But somehow he's escaped certain death. The last thing he remembers before waking on the riverbank is a beautiful face and a soft kiss. Then, Tolomeo turns up naked at Leigh's apartment. Tolly comes from a race of killers—merfolk who drown humans for fun. But Tolly is different, and when he sees a human in trouble, he offers a kiss, granting the man the ability to breathe underwater… and himself the ability to walk on land, at least until the next full moon. The ancient laws state that if he is given a vow of love by the one he kissed, he will be able to keep his legs. If not, he will be put to death when he returns to the water. But love is not something Leigh offers easily… and Tolly has a secret of his own.

• ISBN10: 1644051761
• ISBN13: 9781644051764
• Publish Date: 30 April 2019
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Dreamspinner Press
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 200
• Language: English

Reviews

[Angie]

I usually don't like mermaid books even though I keep reading them! But Coming Up For Air was different! I actually liked it a lot! Maybe because it's a M/M Mobster Romance retelling of The Little Mermaid rather than just a straight up "mermaid book." If that makes any kind of sense. It just felt different and refreshing yet still familiar. It just kept me hooked and smiling from the very beginning. It's not all sunshine and rainbows, since like I mentioned, mobsters. But not very good mobsters...

Coming Up From Air starts with Leigh sleeping with the fishes. At least, that's what's suppose to be happening until Tolly rescues him. Leigh has been targeted by a rival mob and much of his story is saving his skin from them, getting out of the life, and moving on with the life that he wants. But Tolly is a new complication. Tolly is a mermaid who just earned his legs by finding his destined mate. Of course, he can only keep those legs if Leigh says that he loves him before the next full moon.

I'm sure you can all figure out where Coming Up From Air is going. It's trope-filled goodness and is definitely very similar to The Little Mermaid, but that didn't stop me from devouring it. I had to know how Tolly helps Leigh get his life on track while also getting what he wants most. The mob story line isn't the greatest, as Leigh is basically the Robin Hood of the mob, and everyone else seems not quite into it. Like, it's mobster lite. If that sounds like your jam, I'd say give this one a go!