Name: When We Believed in Mermaids
ISBN: 9781978670037

Barbara O'Neal

Sarah Naughton

Katherine Littrell

When We Believed in Mermaids

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.

A Novel

Kelly mooney

** spoiler alert **
           Definitely a slower read however once I got into it I was very interested in the story. The way O’Neal went back to memories of both Kit and Josie as kids really gave you a perspective of who they truly are as characters. I also think they way she talks about Josie being SA as a child and then spiraling into an addict is a very raw emotional aspect that a lot of SA victims go through and thought she wrote that story very well. The ending was a very happy ending which I’m very glad. Didn’t disappoint would recommend to others!

Barbara Williford

Kit, an ER doctor, is watching the news about a bombing and sees her dead sister in the TV news shot. Kit heads to New Zealand in search of her sister. During her search she comes to terms with her dysfunction family, resentment of her sisters death, her own dysfunctions and trust issues and even falls in love. It was an intriguing storyline but it did get a little too bogged down with the past and Kit no being able to move past it. I think the author tried a little too hard to make the romance fit the storyline.

Desire JoRay

Overall I’m glad I read it

Was a bit too slow at points for my liking, but it needed to be to fully understand the story.

Liz B

A really interesting premise, but the story was actually pretty boring and felt pretty flat.

Kayla lord 

Great read! 

Couldn’t put it down! Totally recommend!!!! Will definitely read more of her books! From start to finish it was great

Demi

I definitely struggled with this rating. I think that this book was definitely well written, and I loved the two points of view that we followed. I also think that the storyline was definitely unique and interesting enough to bring intrigue. With that being said, I honestly did struggle to care about this book. I don’t think it really had anything to do with the book itself, but maybe the timing I read it. I definitely think I will reread this book at some point to give it another go and hopefully appreciate it more.

Despite that, I definitely do recommend this book. It was well written and thought out, and it had a very different kind of story that you don’t typically find. I think it had good, well developed characters who each brought something to the table.

Overall, I definitely suggest reading this book and I will be rereading this at some point to see if I can enjoy it better at another time.

Ryan Anne Cothron

I enjoyed this story of two sisters! I like stories that are told with elements of flashbacks so I enjoyed that. I’m also a sucker for a little bit of smut and this had that so it was enjoyable 

Mary Rose Gibson

I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would just because it’s a different genre than what I normally gravitate toward. I wish that a few of the characters and relationships were a little more fleshed out (we didn’t get a lot of insight about the relationship between Josie and Simon and I would have liked to have a glimpse of how they met). I also feel like the book need one of two more chapters to fully wrap up storylines.

Ellen B

3.5/5 stars- it was a really deep story told in a unique way. The beginning was really interesting and I got hooked but then it quickly spoils the mystery of it all. Listened on KU audio

Emma Johnson

** spoiler alert **
           Loved: the New Zealand setting! Very different from any book I’ve read. I loved the time jumps and the slow build to all of the stories, all of the revelations. I loved the love story between Kit and Javier. 

Hated: Josie/ Marie… everything about her. I felt sad when we learned what happened to her, but ALL of her actions… awful. You can be a good person with trauma. We learned she is the reason for Dylan dying, and I would honestly call what she did assault. She hid from her family for years because of what?? Because she smoked weed and was an alcoholic?? Because she had an abortion?? Because she stole?? I feel like none of that was grounds for what she did, I HATED her. And then kept it all from her husband… ugh.

Alex Goodwin

It wasn’t perfect, but I shed a few tears and it tugged at my heartstrings. Plus I’m a sucker for imagery.

mary

Anika | @chaptersofmay

An emotional tale of past trauma, new beginnings, and the strength of sisterhood. After spotting a woman with a scarily close resemblance to her sister, Josie, ER doctor Kit heads to New Zealand to begin a life-changing search and discover deeply buried truth.

When We Believed in Mermaids is beautifully written, there’s no doubt about it. Barbara O'Neal constructs atmospheric settings in the sea and on the land with her rich descriptions. Kit and Josie are keen surfers, and I really like the way their love of water (and mermaids) stayed relevant throughout the story. The author also artfully captures grief, heartbreak, and anxiety, especially in the heart-wrenching flashbacks. While the book’s main theme is the family’s drama, it does feature weightier themes like alcoholism and abuse, all of which are explored with a compassionate tone. 

For me, the most engaging part of this story is the way the author blends the mystery of Josie’s disappearance with the traumatic past of the Bianci family. It’s the reason I chose to buy this book. But I don’t think When We Believed in Mermaids played up to its full potential, with the present losing my interest and the flashbacks earning all the attention. I also wish Dylan’s backstory played a bigger role, as he seemed to be an impactful figure on the family but no so much on the narrative. Finally, the ending felt anti-climactic. A lot of tension is built during Kit’s pursuit of Josie, but I didn’t find the conclusion of the story satisfying. 

When We Believed in Mermaids is a family drama with tragedy and calamity, but also has a secondary romance plot. It brings some levity to the story and contributes well the redemption arc, but the descriptions of the more intimate scenes made me cringe. O'Neal creates beautiful imagery for the setting and character emotion, but the moment it travelled past the bedroom doors I was ready to skip pages. 

Nonetheless, this contemporary drama showcases great character development and the healing power of a familial bond. The turbulent past proved to be the most engrossing part of the book, and overall it was a respectable read.

Hooman Askari

** spoiler alert **
           I don’t know I enjoyed reading every single word of this book because I was in an emotionally unstable time in my life or it actually was that good but I loved it. The story carries you with it, you feel like you know the characters, places and events, you wanna shout and cry and laugh with them and have empathy for them and maybe even judge them sometimes. 

I loved all of it except for the ending but that’s just me. I don’t believe in happily ever afters. They are not realistic. Because life is pain and the joy in life are in the smaller moments scattered around our entire life.

Elize van Heerden

I absolutely loved this, listened to the audiobook and was submerged into this beautiful writing immediately. The characters quickly crept into my heart, and we slowly learned the truth behind the reason why Josie made the decision she made. 
This truly shows the love sisters can have for each other, the one protecting the other at all cost, shielding her from what was really happening.