Siren’s Secret by Debbie Herbert

Give this talented author some love, this is her debut novel and it is a beauty! If you have a moment to tweet or FB, or reblog, all efforts are appreciated:)

Siren’s Secret by Debbie Herbert

In Debbie Herbert’s debut novel, there are two secrets, each one with a deadly consequence….

Shelly Connors’s worlds—on land and in the sea—are turned upside down when an evening swim turns into a nightmare. On a sweltering night deep in the bayou, the mystical mermaid witnesses a horrifying act. With a monstrous killer now hot on her trail, her life and the lives of her kin are in jeopardy.

Terrified of becoming the next victim, Shelly has no choice but to turn to Sheriff Tillman Angier. Tillman has had his intense gray eyes on the sultry honey-haired beauty for a while. The feelings are mutual …and impossible to ignore. But he’s determined to solve the murders, and he knows Shelly’s hiding something. Can she trust him with her deepest secret?

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At first, I will admit, I had certain reservations about this book. I did not see how one could combine serious subjects with mermaids and fantasy. The autism angle of this book intrigued me as I am raising two autistic children, but I couldn’t see how anyone could take that seriously when mermaids were involved. I am pleased to report though, that Debbie Herbert has managed to make it all work, and make it entertaining in the process.

If you are the type who likes your romance steamy and your villains to have a background, this may just be the book for you. I loved that the villain was not senselessly violent. You learn more about the character as the book unfolds and get a real feeling for why he makes the choices he makes and what made him who he is.

I enjoyed the various relationships in this book, both between the main character and her love interest and her family members. The differences in personalities of the characters created a nice dynamic that kept the story flowing and held my attention.

There is quite a bit of mystery in this story and no major plot downturns, so it never slowed down or got boring. I also appreciated that the author made her autistic character believable and showed him in such a light that he seemed both capable and important to the overall plot.

This book is part murder mystery, part romance and part paranormal, but struck a balance where all three aspects had a chance to shine. Overall, I enjoyed this and look forward to further works from this author.

This review is based off of a digital ARC from the author, in exchange for an honest and impartial review. All opinions are my own.

About the author:

Debbie Herbert writes paranormal romance novels reflecting her belief that love, like magic, casts its own spell of enchantment. She’s always been fascinated by magic, romance and gothic stories.
Married and living in Alabama, she roots for the Crimson Tide football team. Unlike the mermaid characters in Siren’s Secret, she loves cats and has two spoiled feline companions. When not working on her upcoming book, Siren’s Treasure, Debbie enjoys recumbent bicycling and motorcycle riding with her husband.
A past Maggie finalist in both Young Adult & Paranormal Romance, she’s a member of the Georgia Romance Writers of America. Debbie has a degree in English (Berry College, GA) and a master’s in Library Studies (University of Alabama).–from goodreads

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