Simply magical! Loved it, I am a fan of this author Ali McNamara and thoroughly enjoyed this latest book. It covers all emotions. I loved the setting in Cornwall and I could picture every character. This book was very easy to read. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity. Simply enchanting!

I really wanted to like this novel by Ali McNamara as I’ve enjoyed all her others so far but unfortunately I just couldn’t really gel with it. Whilst it is a nice read I found I just couldn’t get in it as much as I did her others

I was given a free copy of this book by Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I really like Ali McNamara’s books; they’re a kind of escapism into the kind of place I’d want to be, the people I’d want as my neighbours- all mixed with a little bit of magic! When I saw a new book coming out, with the promise of revisiting some old characters, I jumped at the chance to read it!
I loved the idea of this book- a group of friends from school and their friendship from that time through the decades, particularly as I’m around the same age as the characters so can relate to a lot of the cultural references!
I don’t know if it was just the format of the advance copy but it took slightly longer for me to get into the book than normal. It also felt a bit ‘choppy’- I’m not a massive fan of jumping backwards and forwards in time, and there seemed to be some unnecessary jumping (ie going back to ‘two days previously’ when you’ve already been talking about the build up so could have spoken about it then).
There was also a mistake in terms of time- I won’t give any spoilers but while on a train Frankie says an event will happen ‘tomorrow’ yet later (while on the same train journey) says someone else will be at the same event ‘in a few days time’. The ending also felt a bit rushed to me, and lacked a bit of detail.
Not my favourite of Ali McNamara’s books, but once I got into it, it was a nice easy read.

I love Ali Mcnamara books and these set in St Felix are great. This can be read as a standalone though. It follows a group of friends from school up until they turn 50 and how their friendship changes over this time.

Great to return to St Felix in Cornwall . Frankie and her friends have grown up here and this books takes the reader through their lives together the ups and downs, highs and lows.
Whilst at school they preformed at a talent contest declaring themselves to be the misfit mermaids this is because of an old Cornish tale of the mermaids treasure. Frankie and Rob are young but in love but through the decades their love ebbs and flows like the Cornish sea.
Over the decades they get together for birthdays, funerals, weddings but one by one each of the friends discover that St Felix holds the power to bring them home.
Great read making you lose yourself to the Cornish beauty of St Felix wanting to go there and belong. Loved this and looking forward to more from the St Felix residents .

Wow. I love Ali McNamara books and especially those set in St Felix but this latest offering has to be my favourite. I loved the nostalgic feel as the main characters moved from school in the 1980s to modern times. The lives of the 6 friends and more importantly their friendship was integral to the feel good feel and , on more than one occasion, I was moved to tears as the challenges of life hit the mermaids. However, the typical magical element of Ali McNamara books inspired me. I’m currently ona cruise ship watching the waves for a huge fish tail to appear.

This is only the second book I have read by this author as have only recently discovered their writing and am so pleased I did. This is the 5th instalment of the St Felix series but could easily be read as a standalone like I did. I am going to go back and seek out the other books.

This was a beautiful and poignant read about first love, the power of friends, grief and other issues that readers will be able to relate to which were all covered in a very sensitive and heartfelt way. The story spans each decade of the characters lives from their teens to reaching their 50s and is set against the stunning backdrop of St Felix and has made me want to visit Cornwall as it sounds beautiful.

I loved how the author has also weaved in a little bit of magic and mermaid sparkle within the story and loved the history and myths and legends that were interwoven within the story and how the wishes they made as teenagers were a focal point of the story.

I was hooked from the first page and read this in a day late into the night as I couldn’t put it down and it took me on an emotional roller coaster and it left me with goosebumps when finished.

We return to the little Cornish village of St Felix. If you've read some of this author's previous book you'll already know about the pretty little seaside village. This story follows a group of friends from their teenage years right through to their 50's, revisiting them every ten years or so as the book moves on. The main character is Frankie, but as teenagers her and her friends form a group known as the Misfit Mermaids. If you know this author's style of writing, you'll know she likes to add a little magic and mystery into her stories, and there's no surprise that mermaid's feature heavily in this book!

This story was absolutely wonderful! I wasn't sure where the book was heading when we started off in Frankie's teenage years, but quickly worked out we were going on a journey through their lives. I was hooked into their stories very quickly and couldn't put the book down once started. There wasn't as much romance as other books (although still a little bit!) but there was plenty of life lessons and choices and lots of strong family and friends relationships. I loved how we got to see how their wishes came true and that the friendships lasted throughout the years.

It was filled with happiness and sadness in equal measures, and will have you reaching for your tissues and then laughing and smiling at the turn of a page. It is wonderfully magical and is the perfect piece of escapism! Lovely characters, a beautiful location and a gorgeous storyline! Would definitely recommend!!

This book gets better and better. I know it is going back to St Felix but you can read as a stand alone. Made you want to go to Cornwall. Following a group of teenagers to their 50th. You do want more some times but it gets more magical. I love the mermaid parts and there are some tearful moments . You have to read it all don’t give up on it. A perfect ending and a great beach read. I am struggling to review it but it is another good Ali McNamara read.

What an amazing read. Very unique and had me gripped. I loved the friendships that they created and tried to keep going from childhood right through adulthood. The flashbacks were a nice touch as it really padded the characters out.
The whole mermaid wish was really cleverly woven in and I enjoyed meeting new characters that had special messages for them and seeing a new chapter of their lives unfold.

A great summer read, even better if you get to read it on a Cornish beach!

I really wanted to like this book having loved so many of Ali McNamara’s other books but for some reason I didn’t really gel with it. It is a nice story and I know she has elements of the fantastical in her books, but I just found that the book skipped too much sometimes. It works as a standalone novel set in St Felix, and it was nice to see characters that I’ve met in previous books, but I think the other books are better.

As a long time fan of every single book written by Ali McNamara, I will admit that this one took a long time to get into. Probably because the first third was written about the group of friends as teenagers. It felt more like a YA novel. However, then it carried on in the normal magical style that the author writes and i really enjoyed it. It was quite an emotional read with lots of magic mixed in that left you with a heartwarming feeling by the end.

As a fan of Ali's books, I was really excited to read this new book! It is another St. Felix story but it works equally as well as a standalone story. This one flows Frankie, and her friends, from their teenage years in the 1980s to adulthood in the present day. I particularly enjoyed that their reunions made mention of other changes in social history from watching Neighbours after school, video rent shops, MSN chats, and more. It is a really feel-good summer romance and a testament to true friendships.

Firstly, my thanks go to Netgalley, the incredible Ali McNamara, and her publishing team for granting me a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The book is a continuation of a series set in St Felix, Cornwall, and it is the fifth installment. I haven't read any of the previous books, but that didn't detract from the experience at all.
The characters were superbly crafted, rich in detail, and so vividly portrayed that I felt like I was part of the group.
I particularly enjoyed how the book revisited the childhoods of the "Misfit Mermaids" and depicted their reunions once every decade.
It encompassed everything from romance and true friendship to the realities of life and the pangs of heartbreak.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for this ARC.

The story starts in 1989 when our protagonists are 15 years old. Frankie, Eddie, Claire, Mandy, Suzy, Rob and later Mack call themselves the Misfit Mermaids. They grow up in fictional St. Felix in Cornwall, which has a lot of tales and references to mermaids. The tale is that if you find mermaid treasure and give it back to the sea, your wishes will come true. So when they find an old wooden barrel they return it to the sea and all make secret wishes.

We meet up with Frankie and the others every 5 - 10 years to observe their lives. Frankie seems to have a life-long connection to Rob who ends up becoming a Hollywood actor but still returns to St. Felix now and then. But there is also his friend Mack who wants to be more than a friend.

There is a hefty dose of magic realism in this story, with Frankie etc. often seeing mermaid tails in the sea and encountering women with sea-based names who seem to be benevolent mermaids who leave sea shells, their calling cards, after they have helped wishes come true.

I thought this was a charming and unique story set in beautiful Cornish surroundings. All the characters were interesting and well fleshed out, and their enduring friendships were beautifully portrayed. Also, they were all only a few years younger than I am, so this is my generation and I loved all the references to the films and music of my youth. I just wish there wasn't so much death! Still, an enchanting book - I will always read everything by this author.

4.25 stars

I didn’t think Ali could top her last brilliant book It always snows on mistletoe square’ but this was just fantastic.
The book is set in stunning Cornwall in St Felix and is the fifth book set here. I have never read any of the others books but it didn’t make a difference at all.
The characters were brilliant, so detailed and well written and I really felt like I was part of the gang. Mack was my favourite with Rose a close second.
I loved the fact the book went back to their childhood which seemed a simpler time with no mobile phones, no internet and we see them grow up and make different life choices.
I read the whole book in one day as I could not put it down it was excellent.
It had everything from romance, true friendship, real life and heartbreak.
The ending was just perfect and (no spoilers) Frankie ended up with the right person.
Thanks to NetGalley, Ali McNamara and Little Brown Book Uk for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This sweet story follows a group of misfits friends ever decade from school at 15 through to their 50s. We see how the wishes they made and their commitment to each other stretches the decades. I enjoyed the characters and story.