I had been having a bad few days: washer quit, faucet leaking, and a sick cat. I decided to read for a while and try to regain my sanity. All I can say is "Thank you, Lindsay" This book hooked me from the very beginning. you. However, if you like strong heroines, flawed but gorgeous heroes, and witty dialogue....this is it! Thank you Netgalley.

A well written and entertaining historical novel. Great plot and character development. A great read.

I was intrigued to read this book as the description was spine tingling that you were wondering if Alice would turn into a mermaid! But as I settled into the story I was pleasantly surprised to find it folding out into my favourite timeline of WW2 and links to the SOE, my favourite type of book. I felt in areas the book was rushed and more detail could have been put in about the SOE process, but I still enjoyed the story. Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read the book.

I honestly loved everything about this book! To say that I was sad when I reached the end is an understatement. I sat down over the weekend to read, setting a time limit of one hour as I had to get some things done...after an hour passed I said to myself "just another 1/2 hour"...3 hours later (after I couldn't put the book down) I finished the book.

I think the author did an amazing job with the setting - the descriptions of the cove where Alice stayed in the boathouse were so vivid that I felt like I was there, smelling the salty, fishy air and feeling the breeze. I also think the characters were brilliant - Alice and Merle were my favorites. I could really sense the inner turmoil felt by Alice - a former nun, she feels a higher purpose, but doesn't think that the rigid style of her former convent is how she can best serve her calling.

This was the first book I've read by this author - after my experience with this book, I will definitely be seeking out more books written by this author.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing a copy for review.

A story of re-invention, redemption, love. from the breathtaking cover to the story inside I loved every page of this novel

I really enjoyed this novel. I think right from the beginning, the author draws the reader in with her descriptions. The characters are intriguing, and she is extremely descriptive in her details. The way the story unfolds, it seems to largely differ from many of the WW2 novels I have read. I will definitely recommend this one!

This wasn’t for me. I found the pace too slow and the story predictable.i gave up before the end. Life’s too short.

I wasn't too sure what to make of this once I started it, I had been attracted to it by the cover and title and hadn't really paid much attention to the blurb.

Alice is washed ashore at Mermaid's Cove after the ship she was travelling back to Ireland on was sunk by the Germans, she is found at the waters edge by Jack who quickly realises she has things in her past she wants to leave behind and that her unplanned arrival in Cornwall has become her way to achieve what she wants from life without returning to her old life.

But is the freedom to choose really what she wants?

Jack has a few secrets of his own, and his motives for helping Alice after she explains some of what she's leaving behind are not entirely what they seem.

Ultimately this was a book which surprised me, I had no idea what choices Alice would make nor what Jack would ask of her, and my goodness was there alot going on - secret missions, a secret wife and child, Alice's attempts to hide her origins, the usual small town characters and all set in the tense days of 1943. But the decisions by both Alice and Jack ultimately feel right for what we see of their characters.

I found that while I'm sure not all of the things featured are going to have been historically accurate it was nice to see the SOE in a fiction novel, an organisation which seems to be little known to the general public.

Definitely recommend.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating; 5/5
Plot: 
In April 1943 a young woman washes ashore on a deserted beach in Cornwall, England. With shorn hair and a number stitched on her tattered chemise, Alice is the survivor of a ship torpedoed by a German U-boat. She’s found by the mysterious Viscount Jack Trewella, who suspects that she’s a prisoner of war or a spy. But the secret Alice asks Jack to keep is one he could never have guessed, and it creates an intimate bond he never expected.
With her true identity hidden beneath the waves, Alice grasps the chance to reinvent herself. But as she begins to fall for Jack, she discovers he has secrets too—ones echoing the legend of a mermaid said to lure men into the dark depths of the sea.
For two strangers in the shadow of war, lost love, and haunting memories, is it time to let go of the past? Or to finally face it—whatever the risks?
My verdict: Firstly thank you to Netgalley for letting me review this book prior to its release on the 11th August. I throughly enjoyed this saga based on Cornish myth and real historical events ultimately shedding light on the vital work the Resistance did to help us win World War II. I loved the conflict that Alice battled with throughout the novel; She was saved and brought to Cornwall to help others and at times putting herself in danger. On the other hand, she is an ex nun trying to contain her passion and stubborn streak just as she is taught. She ultimately battles with herself to decide wether her love and passion is a bad thing. Jack’s character is someone who is a victim of social class prejudices which leads him to carry around this guilt which he tries to rectify throughout the narrative. I hope that this book may be turned into a series as it would be nice to see character progression from the supporting characters and how they deal with their own inner conflict and the fall out of World War II. I loved how the emotions throughout the novel builds much like a wave and even though it seems calm, their are still some ripples on the surface which is perfectly natural in life. Ashford writes with such empathy that you can’t help feeling sorry for the adversaries. A well researched and moving narrative about learning to take risks despite of what others may think. Overall a very serious novel filled with contradictions and conflicts, I rooted for the characters throughout and care for them deeply and I think that the moments of romance and levity balance out the novel giving you a warm feeling and wanting more. A job well done!

Click the link so you can go to amazon and preorder your copy.

Did'not finish this book. Maybe because I have read too many WWII books recently and currently watching a series on the French Undeground. Will try to read at a different time.

This one just wasn't for me. I felt like the text was super repetitive, the pacing too slow, and the romance was pretty much non-existent until the last two chapters. The war stuff was interesting but felt like it was wrapped up all too easily, and the mermaid mythology the author tried to weave through the text didn't have much payoff either. I also wasn't a huge fan of the religious aspects of the novel. Overall, just not my taste but I think many people will get in with this better than I did.

Lovely romance story dated in WWII time.
Alice is a nun on her way from Africa to a convent in Ireland, the boat is torpedoed and she is washed up on a Cornwall beach. She is saved by misterious Jack, nothing less than viscount. And story starts to entangle.

Cozy and nice read.

yeah i really liked this book. i love mermaids and anythinng that has to do with mermaid so please do more of that and i will love it forever. thanks bye.

This is a @netgalley find that will be published by #lakeunion later this summer. The book takes place in #WW2 on the #cornwallcoast. I enjoyed the details that were provided about the estate and nearby villages which the author’s note says were provided by meeting with #nationaltrustengland. As a #culturalheritage student I appreciate this effort. A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ tale of running from your perceived responsibilities and finding new purpose that I would recommend to any #historicalromance fan. 📚📚📚 #reading #bookreview #bookrecommendation #netgalleyreads #thehouseatmermaidscove #amazonkindle

This is a very unusual storyline set in England during WW2. It grips you right from the start and carries you thru to the end. It has mystery, a few secrets and a bit of romance. The story shows you how life was for some during the war and what they would go thru to survive while helping others. I enjoyed reading this book and had a hard time putting it down.
Thankyou to NetGalley and the publisher for a free Arc and to Lindsay Jayne Ashford for a great story.. THis is my honest opinion.

What a wonderful, unexpected story! The House at Mermaid's Cove begins in the years before the Normandy landings. Former nun Alice, on a boat from Africa to Ireland, ends up shipwrecked and washed up on a Cornwall beach. Actually, at that point Alice is still a nun, but one who has questioned her calling. Rescued by the mysterious Jack, she decides to build a new life for herself, but she's not quite sure what that is. She is wracked with guilt for leaving the cloister, and constantly questions her own motives, desires and actions. As she meets the locals and becomes involved in the wartime happenings in the area, she begins to put down roots. Because of her fluent French she becomes involved with the local efforts to save the resistance and defeat the Germans. But just like Alice has secrets, so does Jack, and as her feelings for him grows, she wonders what dark things in his past are troubling him, even as she wrestles with what to tell him about her own history.

From the author of Whisper of the Moon Moth and The Snow Gypsy, The House at Mermaids Cove is a terrific read, and should not be missed!

The story starts with a washed up nun (I always wanted to say that!) finding her way to a farmstead in Cornwall, England that is hosting WWII refugees and Land Army women. As she becomes closer to some of the woman and the his Lordship, Jack, she is able to really discover her true calling in life. I've read many WWII historical fiction novels, and this one definitely is unique and delightful. With the focus more on individuals out of immediate harm's way, we get a glimpse into life during that time, and how love can still blossom. The addition of a mermaid theme running through the book really was sweet, and it also makes me want to visit this area of England!

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgallery for the advance read for my honest review.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and author Lindsay Jayne Ashford for providing me with an ARC of this novel.

This was such a refreshing viewpoint from WWII! I love historical fiction, so I jumped at the chance to read this. This is a new author for me, but I really enjoyed her writing style. This was a flowing and breezy read, which was a nice reprieve from heavier reading. I loved the aspects of romance and religion, they really added to the story and made it well-rounded.

Thank you to those named above for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

Washed up on a rocky shore and rescued by the handsome Lord Trewella, this is a sweet story of love, forgiveness, and dreams come true.

Those that like simple historical novels with a bit of romance and a dash of religion will like this book. She was a nun, but now she is a secret resistance fighter. Some facts were interesting like information about being a nun. Not my cup of tea, but a nice cozy read for another. Arc provided in exchange for a fair review.