Review of Flukes by Nichole Chase!!!

Meena has a secret guarded closely by her family—a secret as dangerous as the sea, and buried just as deep. When court appointed community service workers are assigned to Flukes, the family-owned animal sanctuary, everyone is on high alert. It doesn’t help that Meena finds herself attracted to sexy-as-sin Blake Weathering, one of the new workers. If he wasn’t so distracting, she might be able to land Flukes a much-needed cruise line contract.

Blake Weathering, the first in his family to attend public school, has developed a tough image. Unfortunately it lands him in trouble. Now banned from his high school graduation ceremony, getting his diploma is dependent upon a community service gig cleaning fish crap. No diploma, no trust fund fortune—and no way to escape his overbearing father. The last thing he needs is the distraction of a mysterious girl with teal eyes who pulls at his heart strings.

When Blake discovers Meena’s secret, they are both thrown into a desperate search for information about her past. Two worlds pull them in opposite directions, and they will have to fight to hold onto all that really matters.

I had known of this book coming out for a few weeks before it became available to buy.   I am friends with Nichole on FB, and am so happy that I am!!  If not, I would not have known about this amazing book!!  First, it was available a day early on Amazon... how cool is that?!?!?  Second, I was REALLY dying to read this book!!  I read a little snippet that Nichole had posted on her timeline, and was like... I need to read it NOW!!!

This is the first mermaid story that I've read, and if this is a series, I can not wait for more books!!  We meet Meena, who helps her parents around their animal sanctuary called Flukes.  It is there she meets Blake Weathering, who is there doing court mandated community service, along with a bunch of other kids.  She's weary of him, as she is of all strangers, but soon finds herself attracted to him.  They are stuck together by her father, when he asks them to work on a new logo for the sanctuary.  It's also her father's way of keeping Meena away from the convicts who had been making it obvious they were interested in her.  

As they get to know each other more, the attraction between them deepens.  There is one who wants to see them apart, and wants to hurt Meena.  She doesn't know why, but Blake saves her just in time.  This is the turning point in their relationship, and brings them closer together.  Meena is still worried about him leaving, and is sad that most of her friends are leaving and she's being left behind.  Her secret and her love  of the sanctuary and her parents are what is keeping her there.  

While she's out with Blake, she meets two mer-people who she had seen swimming along her beach.  They are happy she's out with Blake, but she's confused when they talk about a life she has no concept of.  She finds out she has family she never knew about, and is excited about meeting them.  She isn't the only one of her kind, and that makes her happy.  

I must say that the love scene in this book was beautiful!  I'm not just saying that because Blake is gorgeous!  She's uncertain, he's uncertain, but in the end, it's a beautiful experience for them both.  It wasn't planned, it was just something decided at the last minute.  

I love how the book ended.  It is told from both Meena's and Blake's viewpoints, which I really liked!!  I found myself rooting for them up until the end!  Her parents were constantly supportive of her no matter what she did, and that's how it should be! There was never any judgement from them!  Blake, on the hand, had to deal with a father who didn't care at all.  He was more about appearances to everyone on the outside.  I loved that her parents accepted him right from the beginning, never questioning Meena's choice.  

She was his, and he was hers.  

FLUKES ON AMAZON

FLUKES ON GOODREADS

Make sure you visit Nichole's website at www.nicholechase.blogspot.com!  There is a giveaway right now for a Kindle!!  I know I'm entering that one!!