First published 2018
Jonah Hancock returns home one September evening in 1785 to find his ship captain waiting with shocking news. The man has sold Hancock's vessel in exchange for what he claims is a genuine mermaid. Word of this strange creature spreads quickly through London's docks, coffee houses, and drawing rooms. Everyone wants to witness Hancock's curiosity. The mermaid's presence launches the modest merchant into fashionable society, where he encounters Angelica Neal, a beautiful and skilled courtesan who captivates him completely. Their attraction pulls both into uncharted territory. Hancock must navigate his new social position while Angelica weighs her own desires against her precarious livelihood. The mermaid that brought them together carries whispers of ancient dangers and destructive magic. Both Hancock and Angelica face choices that could elevate or destroy them as they discover whether their connection can survive the price of their dreams.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, adult-fiction, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, social-climbing
Setting: London
Period: 1785
ebook · Harper Collins