Book Review: The Mermaid's Pendant by LeAnne Neal Reilly

Title: The Mermaid's Pendant
Author: LeAnne Neal Reilly
Publisher: Zephon Books
Published: March 8, 2010
ISBN: 978-0982687505

Summary: "Inspired by the beloved classic The Little Mermaid, THE MERMAID'S PENDANT is a modern fairy tale about growing up and discovering who you are -- and what you believe in. At times lyrical, this novel is a fantastic journey filled with magic, myth, romance, and adventure. Four years after John Wilkerson claims the mermaid Tamarind for his wife, they have an idyllic marriage that depends on a talisman that she crafted on their island paradise. But Tamarind learns a painful truth: it takes more than legs to live on land and more than magic to sustain a bond. When the talisman breaks, she and John are forced to rely on themselves instead of magic. Three wise women play key roles in the young lovers' journey to mature love. Ana, Tamarind's aging mentor, casts spells and performs seductions to keep the lovers apart. Valerie, an ex-pat jewelry maker cum fairy godmother, works her own magic to bring them together. Lucy, their widowed neighbor, grounds the couple in the realities of marriage, parenting, and family. THE MERMAID'S PENDANT is a story for anyone who has ever believed in the transforming power of love."

When I read the summary, I was really excited.  The Little Mermaid is one of my favorite movies and I had really high hopes and expectations for the book to live up to.  Thankfully it did!!

John is on an island to do research so one day he decides to go snorkeling.  But John isn't so bright and he decides to go alone.  After a mishap, he panics and would have drowned if not for a mysterious stranger.  After waking on the beach, John has a vague recollection of a woman with reddish hair that was swimming topless.

After coming to the realization that he was rescued by a mermaid, he marries her.  Thanks to a magical pendant, And they lived happily ever after...Well actually not.  This is more like real life than a Disney movie; and in real life all relationships take work and sometimes a little help from our friends.

I really love as life wears down on Tamarind's magic pendant, she realizes that in order for her marriage to continue to flourish and thrive, the magic must now come from her and John.  Anyone who is, has been, or will be in a relationship should read this book.  When we get so caught up in the daily grind of life we stop realizing that we possess magic in all of us.