Finding Love at Mermaid Terrace- Book Review

Finding Love at Mermaid Terrace by Kate Forster

Publication Date: 4th Feb 2021
Genre: Romance, Small Town, Feel-good romance

3.7 Stars

The book is set in a picturesque town called Port Lowdy. It has colorful houses, friendly people, and no high ambitions to become a bustling city. With the sea, cliffs, and cute houses, the setting is perfect for a cute and heartwarming romance.

Tressa is an artist and works at the local paper. She comes from a rich family that doesn’t seem to understand what she wants.

Dan is a famous columnist in Ireland with a loud, angry voice (or so is his image). When a certain article leaves him without a job, he applies for the temporary position at the same paper Tressa works (and is now managing).

Thrown in Tressa’s tabby and Dan’s Golden Retriever, an ex-convict on parole, and a few locals- you can guess what happens next.

The story flows well, dealing with the lives of the locals as well as our lead couple and new entries. It has some conflicts that could have been exploited even better. But the author keeps the emotions touch and go with the lead characters.

What I love about the book is the setting and the equal importance given to secondary characters. Penny, Wendy, Remi, Markel, Jenny, Caro, George; we get a glimpse into some lives and an in-depth backstory for some. The characters felt quite real and relatable, despite the easy conflict-resolutions. Who doesn’t want to read a sweet book at times?

What I wished to be better was the relationship between Tressa and Dan. We know they are going to hit off, and they do. But the conflicts seemed silly. And considering the insecurities each of them had, it felt they were still not sure about their feelings for each other. The uncertainty (despite them saying they love the other person) reduced the overall impression of the story.

I’d rather see this as a small-town book rather than a simple love story. The relationship between other characters shone better than the one between the lead couple. The resolution didn’t have an impact either. It was a bit too mellow, even for a heartwarming romance.

Overall, this is a nice book if you are in the mood for something light and cute. Pick it up for the secondary characters. You won’t regret knowing them.

P.S: The history behind the name Lowdy was sweet, and so was the use of mermaid in the story. It was a good touch.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Aria & Aries and am voluntarily leaving a review.

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