From the author of The Art of Inheriting Secrets comes an emotional new tale of two sisters, an ocean of lies, and a search for the truth.

It is primarily about two sisters and the scars they share - and the lengths they will both go to try to overcome them. If you’re a fan of emotional, character-driven narratives with richly drawn characters and a plot that keeps you hooked till the end, “When We Believed in Mermaids” is a must-read. This novel is a perfect choice for book clubs, as it offers plenty of material for discussion. Final Thoughts Josie thrived on drama the way my parents did. She had both my father’s enormous personality and my mother’s beauty, though in Josie, the combination became something extraordinary. Unique. I can’t count the number of times people drew and photographed and painted her, men and women, and how often they fell in love. I always thought she would be a movie star.The narrative structure of “When We Believed in Mermaids” is unique, as it alternates between the perspectives of two sisters, Kit and Josie, or Mari as she is later known. This alternating viewpoint provides readers with rich insight into the characters’ thoughts and emotions, and it deepens our understanding of their individual journeys. Plot Overview Without spoiling too much, the story shows how two sisters can overcome the difficulties of a dysfunctional family and environment…and survive or even grow later in their lives. In the end, it does include a healthy dose of forgiveness and redemption, leaving us with the satisfying ending most readers desire. All the nonsense with Kit running around New Zealand and her affair with Javier was… fine, I suppose. But what on earth did that add to the plot?? If she hadn’t met him, her story wouldn’t have changed except that we’d have heard her side through internal monologue. His relevance only really appears at the end, along with the other shreds of plot.

So much wasted potential. Fair warning, I did not enjoy this book. (I don't think there's spoilers but proceed at risk) I load my board into my Jeep and drive south, not realizing that I’m headed for the cove until I get there. Pulling over into a makeshift space alongside the highway, I park and look down at the water. A few bodies out, not many at dawn. The water is northern Cali cold, fifty-three degrees in early March, but the waves are lined up all the way to the horizon. Perfect. I adored these characters, but I especially loved living as Kit, a ER doctor and a surfer, who is a total badass loner who lives her life on her own terms–or so she thinks. It was just a lot of fun to be Kit for the better part of the year. Authors are influenced by their characters, and she led me to stand up straight and look the world in the eye. I also loved taking a big risk and taking some big steps forward in my writing. One of the challenges was dealing with two narrators and two timelines–the current day and the past of their childhood on California cove, which was a mental tangle at times. I need to unspool the history of the sisters very carefully to underscore the current day. In the end, I had to make a giant, color-coded chart so I could keep it all straight. This is why we have funerals. We desperately need to see the truth for ourselves, see that loved one’s face, even if it’s marred. Otherwise, it’s just too hard to believe.Then I shake myself. This happens all the time. Anyone who has lost somebody they love has experienced it—the head in the crowd on a busy street, the person at the grocery story who moves just like her. The rush to catch up, so relieved that she is actually still alive . . .