Two sheltered princesses, one wounded warrior; who will live happily ever after?

Princess Margrethe has been hidden away while rumors of war threaten her kingdom. One gloomy, windswept morning, as she stands in a convent garden overlooking the icy sea, she witnesses a miracle: a glittering mermaid emerging from the waves, a nearly drowned man in her arms. By the time Margrethe reaches the shore, the mermaid has disappeared into the sea. As Margrethe nurses the handsome stranger back to health, she learns that he is not only a prince but also the son of her father’s greatest rival. Sure that the mermaid brought this man to her for a reason, Margrethe devises a plan to bring peace to her kingdom.

Meanwhile, the mermaid princess, Lenia, longs to return to the human man she carried to safety. She is willing to trade her home, her voice, and even her health for legs and the chance to win his heart.

A surprising take on the classic tale, Mermaid is the story of two women with everything to lose. Beautifully written and compulsively readable, it will make you think twice about the fairy tale you heard as a child, keeping you in suspense until the very last page.

Carolyn Turgeon is the author of the novels Rain Village, Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story, Mermaid, and The Next Full Moon. She lives in Pennsylvania and is at work on her next novel, a retelling of Rapunzel.