Review/Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings by Helene Boudreau

Freak of nature takes on a whole new meaning...

If she hadn't been so clueless, she might have seen it coming. But really, who expects to get into a relaxing bathtub after a stressful day of shopping for tankinis and come out with scales and a tail? 

Most. Embarrassing. Moment. Ever.

Jade soon discovers she inherited her mermaid tendencies from her mom. But if Mom was a mermaid, how did she drown?

Jade is determined to find out. So how does a plus-size, aqua-phobic mer-girl go about doing that exactly? And how will Jade ever be able to explain her secret to her best friend, Cori, and to her crush, Luke?

This summer is about to get a lot more interesting...

Helene Boudreau’s Real Mermaids Don’t’ Wear Toe Rings surprised the heck out of me! It was funny with snappy dialogue, poignant in its quirky coming-of age portrayal, and totally engaging in its frank yet corny depiction of the protagonist’s struggles with puberty, relationships, and  dealing with her mother’s loss.

Jade is a terrific character, who is struggling with the loss of her mother and the fact that she has reached a crucial time in her development, when a mother’s advice is so important. Thankfully, she has an amazing father who is not afraid to step up and Google whatever information is necessary to help his daughter manage her first step into womanhood with hilarious results inside a drug store (picture dad, feminine hygiene products, and a boy, who Jade is interested in and you will start to get the picture).

I loved how close Jade and her father were, and their relationship, while very unusual, seemed completely authentic because of the humorous conflicts Jade was dealing with. Aside from the drug store scene, there is also the bathroom scene where Jade after soaking a while in an Epsom Salt bath discovers that she has a tail instead of legs. Dad rushes in and in a fairly calm and analytical way (he is after all an engineer) explains that Jade’s tail is hereditary thanks to her mermaid mother.

As if dealing with the fact that she is a mermaid should be enough conflict for any budding teenager, the real conflict comes when Jade discovers that her mother is not dead, but being held captive by some ruthless mer-folks, and it is up to Jade to find a way to save her.

Even though this novel is geared towards a middle level female audience, it is a very engaging and an immensely entertaining romp. The ending was almost as fun as the start, with an unexpected twist that left me smiling and completely satisfied. 

 Source: Received review copy from author