Padme's Library: Release Day Blitz: An Officer and a Mermaid by Blaire Edens

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Release Day Blitz: An Officer and a Mermaid by Blaire Edens

Title: An Officer and a Mermaid

Author: Blaire Edens

Series: Falling In Deep

Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy Romance

Release Date: July 21, 2015

Cover Designer: Quirky Bird

Summary:
When a slave uprising threatens the life of Syreena, the daughter of an eighteenth century plantation owner, a servant uses voodoo to transform her into a mermaid. The spell will be only broken when she returns to the beach where it was cast. After three hundred years of swimming, she’s ready to trade fins for legs. The only problem is she can’t find her way home.

Dylan, a twenty-first century Coast Guard Officer, has sworn off love for the sea. When a wave throws him overboard, Syreena uses her amulet to ward off the sharks and save his life.

With Syreena and Dylan stranded on a remote cay, Dylan has the know-how to build a raft and navigate but his near-drowning has made him terrified of the water. Syrenna will use every charm she has to convince Dylan to take her home.

Even if it means falling in love. . .

“Want to take that walk now?”
“Not until you put your pants back on,” she answered.
“Deal,” he said. “Close your eyes. I’m coming for my shorts.”
Syreena had the grace to lower her eyes demurely. As if she hadn’t been watching him the entire time he walked toward her.
He stepped into his shorts, stiff with the salt water, and zipped the fly. “Ready?”
“Can I look now?”
“You’ve been looking the whole time.”
“Have not,” she replied.
“Can’t fool me.” He offered her his hand and pulled her to her feet. “Which way?”
She pointed to the beach leading north. “Let’s walk that way. There’s a little cove up there where things like to wash up after a storm.”
He didn’t want to let go of her hand. It was so small, so delicate. “I’m following you,” he said, letting go one finger at a time.
The beach was wide and the sand was so fine it felt like flour beneath his feet. The sun was near its apex and his shoulders burned with the heat. For the first time since he’d landed on this island, he felt dry. The water was so blue it looked fake, like a retouched calendar.
The cut still hurt when we walked. He was taking it slow, walking in the dry sand out of reach of the water, while Syreena combed the beach for interesting finds.
The water. What the hell had that been about?
“Look at this,” she said, dashing back to the water line. The excitement made her voice sound child-like. “I can’t believe it!” Syreena bent at the waist and picked something from the sand. Dylan tried not to stare at her ass. The shimmery skirt was just long enough to make it hard to see anything but short enough to make him hope.
“What is it?”
“It’s a ring!” She dipped it into the water and ran back to him. “Look! A diamond ring.”
It was an engagement ring. A large diamond, catching the rays of the sun, was set into a gold band. “Any inscription?” he asked.
She wrinkled her brow. “Inscription?”
He reached out his hand. Turning the ring over and over in the light, there was nothing on the inside of the band. “Nope. Blank.”
It was just as well; it wasn’t like they could find the owner anyway. They were, after all, in the same boat as Gilligan only without the Professor or the radio.
“It fits perfectly,” Syreena squealed, placing it on her ring finger.
A chill ran up his spine. He wasn’t sure exactly why.

Author Bio:
Blaire Edens lives in mountains of North Carolina. She grew up on a farm that’s been in her family since 1790. Of Scottish descent, her most famous ancestor, John Comyn, Lord of Badenoch and Guardian of Scotland, was murdered by Robert the Bruce on the altar of the Greyfriars Church at Dumfries.

She has a degree in Horticulture from Clemson University. She’s held a myriad of jobs including television reporter, GPS map creator, and personal assistant to a fellow who was rich enough to pay someone to pick up the dry cleaning. When she’s not plotting, she’s busy knitting, running, or listening to the Blues.

Blaire loves iced tea with mint, hand-stitched quilts, and yarn stores. She refuses to eat anything that mixes chocolate and peanut butter or apple and cinnamon. She’s generally nice to her mother, tries to remember not to smack her bubble gum, and only speeds when no one’s looking.

She's the past president of South Carolina Writers Workshop and an active member of Romance Writers of America.