Title: Sea Witch
Author: Virginia Kantra
First published July 1, 2008
273 pages, Mass Market Paperback
ISBN: 9780425221990 (ISBN10: 0425221997)
Rating: 3.65
Overview
From the USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR comes the second installment of The Children of the Sea series. Meet Finn, a merman who has always been fascinated by humans.
When he saves Olivia from drowning, he can’t resist the urge to get closer to her. Olivia is drawn to Finn’s mysterious charm, but she has no idea about his true identity.
As their relationship deepens, Finn must decide whether to reveal his secret and risk losing everything. Their love is powerful, dangerous, and it may change the fate of both their worlds.
Dive into this captivating tale of forbidden love and underwater magic.
About the Author
Virginia Kantra is a talented author who has written thirty books across various genres including women’s fiction, contemporary romance, paranormal romance, and romantic suspense. Her latest novel, Meg and Jo, is a modern take on the beloved classic Little Women and has received rave reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and People Magazine.
Critics have praised Kantra’s ability to update the story for a new generation while still satisfying the original Alcott fans.
Kantra’s writing has earned her numerous awards, including two Romance Writers of America’s RITA Awards, ten RITA nominations, and two National Readers’ Choice Awards. Her book Carolina Dreaming, the fifth in her series, won the prestigious RITA Award for Best Contemporary Romance – Midlength in 2017 and was also named one of BookPage’s Top Ten Romance Novels of 2016.
Her repertoire also includes popular works like The MacNeills series, available in e-book format.
As a writer, Kantra loves connecting with her readers and sharing exclusive content and news about her latest releases. You can find her on social media or visit her website to stay up-to-date on all her writing projects.
Editoral Review
Virginia Kantra’s Sea Witch, published in 2008, is a captivating tale of love and revenge featuring strong-willed protagonists and a stunning coastal setting. Kantra is a New York Times bestselling author known for her romance novels, and Sea Witch is the first instalment in her Children of the Sea series.
The book is a contemporary paranormal romance, featuring supernatural beings known as Selkies. Kantra’s writing style is beautiful, with vivid descriptions of the coastal setting and the otherworldly creatures that inhabit it.
The themes of love, betrayal, and redemption are central to the story, as the main characters navigate their complex relationships and personal struggles. The plot revolves around Margred, a Selkie who has been exiled from her clan after losing her human lover.
She now lives alone in a rundown cottage by the sea, haunted by memories of her past. When a young boy named Caleb washes up on the shore, Margred takes him in and forms a bond with him.
Shortly thereafter, Margred’s former lover, Cam, returns to the area with his human wife and child. Margred and Cam have a complicated history, and their reunion is fraught with tension and longing.
Meanwhile, Caleb’s mother is searching for him, and Margred must decide whether to reveal the truth about her Selkie heritage to the humans she has grown to care for. Kantra’s characters are well-developed and multi-dimensional.
Margred is a strong, independent woman with a fierce loyalty to her clan, but also harbours deep emotional wounds. Cam is torn between his love for Margred and his loyalty to his family, and Caleb is a precocious boy who adds levity and sweetness to the story.
The pacing of Sea Witch is steady, building slowly to a satisfying climax. Kantra’s use of flashback sequences effectively adds depth and richness to the story.
The coastal setting is an integral part of the novel, providing a hauntingly beautiful backdrop for the unfolding drama. While Sea Witch is a standalone novel, Kantra leaves enough unanswered questions and unresolved conflicts to set the stage for future instalments in the series.
This is a minor quibble, however, as the book is a satisfying read on its own. Overall, Sea Witch is a beautifully written, emotionally resonant novel that will appeal to fans of paranormal romance and seaside mysteries.
Kantra’s writing is evocative and lyrical, and her characters are well-drawn and engaging. Despite some minor flaws, Sea Witch is a highly recommended read.
Score: 8/10.