When We Believed in Mermaids: A Novel

by Barbara O'Neal

An Amazon Charts, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestseller.

From the author of The Art of Inheriting Secrets comes an emotional new tale of two sisters, an ocean of lies, and a search for the truth.

Her sister has been dead for fifteen years when she sees her on the TV news…

Josie Bianci was killed years ago on a train during a terrorist attack. Gone forever. It’s what her sister, Kit, an ER doctor in Santa Cruz, has always believed. Yet all it takes is a few heart-wrenching seconds to upend Kit’s world. Live coverage of a club fire in Auckland has captured the image of a woman stumbling through the smoke and debris. Her resemblance to Josie is unbelievable. And unmistakable. With it comes a flood of emotions—grief, loss, and anger—that Kit finally has a chance to put to rest: by finding the sister who’s been living a lie.

After arriving in New Zealand, Kit begins her journey with the memories of the past: of days spent on the beach with Josie. Of a lost teenage boy who’d become part of their family. And of a trauma that has haunted Kit and Josie their entire lives.

Now, if two sisters are to reunite, it can only be by unearthing long-buried secrets and facing a devastating truth that has kept them apart far too long. To regain their relationship, they may have to lose everything.

• ISBN10: 1542004527
• ISBN13: 9781542004527
• Publish Date: 16 July 2019
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Amazon Publishing
• Imprint: Lake Union Publishing
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[lindsey]

I may be in the minority in my opinion of this book, but I didn't enjoy it at all. I think the premise was good, but it wasn't executed as well as it could have been.

I realize that you have to suspend your beliefs at times while reading. It comes second nature to most long-time readers, but I found it really hard to stay in the story this time. I was constantly thinking, "That is so unlikely." Nothing was impossible, but just so unlikely.

And I found all of the characters unlikable, to be honest. I couldn't connect with any of them - not a single one - and that made it hard for me to care about how the story ended. I almost gave up multiple times, but I managed to struggle through, which is the only reason I gave the book two stars instead of one.

While the author's writing isn't bad, it's a bit too flowery for my taste, and all of the talk of Art Deco, which was completely irrelevant to the story, felt like just another way to bulk up the word count.

I also felt like there were too many unnecessary plot points being juggled, and instead of focusing on one major plot point and really making it shine, she tried to focus on several, with the result that none lived up to the mark. For example, the story of Sapphire House and its previous owners could have made a good book on its own, but its usage in this book wasn't needed and just caused the story to drag.

Though I wouldn't feel right recommending this to anyone, it wasn't terrible, and I do believe that there are some readers who will enjoy it. If you're interested in reading about two estranged sisters who had a terrible childhood try to reconcile, and you don't mind flowery language, you may enjoy this book.

[Jeff Sexton]

You're Going To Want To Read This Somewhere Where You Can Cry. Wow. This is a tragic tale, all around. It is primarily about two sisters and the scars they share - and the lengths they will both go to try to overcome them. Amazing story, solid mystery (though some of it becomes obvious earlier than the actual reveal). This one will grabs you with the first line, has you tearing up a bit early on... and then can have full on water works through the last quarter to third or so of the tale. Light and airy, this aint - but it *is* one of the better, more intense dramas I've read this year. A remarkable contrast to O'Neal's 2018 book The Art of Inheriting Secrets. Very much recommended.