Excellent plot,loved the main characters, the setting was very vivid, made the reader feel that they were there.
Good plot,historical in places.Definitively recommend this book to family and friends.

Unfortunately I couldn't connect to the characters and found the story boring and slow paced. I think the story needed a stronger magical quality so that the mermaid aspects were more mysterious. To me, the description of the book sounded like a magical realism story but it just didn't appeal to me. The main character being a former nun was a turn off for me as well which also made it hard for me to enjoy this book.

The House at Mermaid’s Cove by Lindsay Jayne Ashford is a historical fiction novel taking place during the latter years of WWII (starting in April 1943) mainly in Cornwall, and also takes place on the mainland as well. Resident Viscount Jack Trewalla and Alice, a survivor of a boat wreck destroyed by the Germans and washed ashore along the Cornish coast, become introduced during a time of uncertainty and war. Alice has secrets and Jack doesn’t have any clue. He thinks she could be a spy or even a POW. Alice uses the catastrophic occurrence of barely surviving to create a new life for herself. She and Jack end up becoming romantically involved, and the secrets come out, and complications and harrowing adventures occur.

I won’t say any more as it will ruin the surprises within the plot. I can only say that I enjoyed Alice and Jack as separate characters as well as their chemistry together. I enjoyed the location, landscapes, plot, and I loved the ending.

A great read. 5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

Alice is the survivor of a ship torpedoed by a German submarine in 1943. She’s found on a beach in Cornwall by Viscount Jack Trewalla, who isn’t sure whether she’s a spy or a POW. Alice sees a chance to start a new life, leaving her past buried at sea, and she takes Jack into her confidence, asking him to keep her shocking secret. This story of World War II bravery and sacrifice is coupled with the old Cornish legends about mermaids to great effect. A lovely story about a time and place where life seemed no less fraught with danger, but still somehow filled with bravery and integrity