Mini Reviews: The Lure of the Sea

 

I’m sharing two books today that explore the allure of the ocean. One is a romance novel, which begins with the ocean's beauty but also reveals its potential danger. The other is a historical novel with a similar theme. Novels about the ocean are perfect to dive into during spring break!

Swept Away by Beth O'Leary

Genre: Romance

Pub. Date: April 1, 2025

Publisher: Berkley

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: The Switch,

The No-Show, and The Wake-Up Call

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "Two strangers find themselves stranded at sea together in this epic new love story by bestselling author Beth O’Leary.

What if you were lost at sea…with your one-night stand?

Zeke and Lexi thought it would just be a night of fun. They had no intentions of seeing each other again. Zeke is only in town for the weekend to buy back his late father’s houseboat. Lexi has no time for dating when she needs to help take care of her best friend's daughter.

Going back home with a stranger seems like a perfect escape from their problems. But a miscommunication in the dark, foggy night means no one tied the houseboat to the dock. The next morning, Zeke and Lexi realize all they can see is miles and miles of water.

With just a few provisions on the idle boat, Zeke and Lexi must figure out how to get back home. But aside from their survival, they’re facing another challenge. Because when you’re stuck together for days on end, it gives you a lot of time to get to know someone—and to fall in love with them."

 

Lexi and Zeke had an incredible one-night stand, but it was more than they bargained for. While on Zeke's father's houseboat, they don't pay attention and when they wake up, they are miles from land. The boat left the dock in the fog without them knowing it and now they are stranded at sea. At first, this sounds romantic. However, as time goes on, they realize that this is a perilous situation. Not to mention, Lexi's best friend and her daughter will be desperate to know what happened to her. Without cell service, and the water reserves dwindling, panic ensues. In the midst of all this, Zeke and Lexi come to realize that they share feelings for one another; it's more than just a one-night stand. If they can make it out of this, will they be able to make it in the real world? Beth O'Leary's Swept Away is an engaging romance, but one that doesn't feel balanced enough as the stressful situations abound.

Many readers have issues with the age gap between Lexi and Zeke, but it didn't bother me as much. I did enjoy their relationship; however, I felt it fell flat at times. It lacked that spark I was expecting based on O'Leary's previous novels. On the other hand, I did think the setting of a houseboat was very original and I liked that aspect of the story until things started to go badly. There were too many stressful situations (lacking water, a festering wound, etc) that took a day in the sun, to much more serious concerns. I also felt like there was a coincidence in the story revealed later on that didn't entirely work for me. I had a hard time suspending my disbelief.  So, all in all, Swept Away was just an ok read for me.

 

 

The Sirens by Emilia Hart

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

Pub. Date: 4/1/25

Publisher: St. Martin's

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: Weyward

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "A story of sisters separated by hundreds of years but bound together in more ways than they can imagine.

2019: Lucy awakens in her ex-lover’s room in the middle of the night with her hands around his throat. Horrified, she flees to her sister’s house on the coast of New South Wales hoping Jess can help explain the vivid dreams that preceded the attack—but her sister is missing. As Lucy waits for her return, she starts to unearth strange rumours about Jess’s town—tales of numerous missing men, spread over decades. A baby abandoned in a sea-swept cave. Whispers of women’s voices on the waves. All the while, her dreams start to feel closer than ever.

1800: Mary and Eliza are torn from their loving home in Ireland and forced onto a convict ship heading for Australia. As the boat takes them farther and farther away from all they know, they begin to notice unexplainable changes in their bodies.

A breathtaking tale of female resilience, The Sirens is an extraordinary novel that captures the sheer power of sisterhood and the indefinable magic of the sea.

 

 

The Sirens follows two major timelines: one from the 1800s and one from current times. In the 1800s, two sisters are sent to a penal colony in Australia. As readers can suspect, these two Irish women were treated horribly. In modern times, sisters Lucy and Jess face similar situations. Lucy escapes college and some upsetting events that occurred and she hopes to connect with her sister who lives on the coast. Once there, she realizes that Jess is missing. Both of these women have an interesting relationship with the ocean and an allergy to water, which only adds to the role that the ocean plays in the story. Fans of Weyward will appreciate The Sirens by Emilia Hart; it's a historical tale filled with romance, mystery, and family drama.

Readers can always count on Hart to showcase sisterhood and include a feminist undertone throughout the novel, just as she did in Weyward. She highlights the power of women better than any other author I've read recently. Also, I appreciated Hart's beautiful writing style which felt poetic at times. Her ability to bring the magic of the ocean to life and the mysticism was fantastic. While I may have enjoyed Weyward a tad bit more, The Sirens is still an outstanding novel that showcases the magic of sisterhood and the sea.

Have you read Swept Away or The Sirens? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.