Today’s review is a short novella that will carry you away with its mystery and romance. Solstice Island by Mae Clair has a wonderful blend of good characters hunting down a mysterious creature. It is a quick read that is wonderful if you want something refreshing between big books. For my full review keep reading after the book blurb. I hope you all have a wonderful hump day!
Book Blurb:
Can an ancient leviathan work magic between a practical man and an idealistic woman?
Rylie Carswell is an amateur cryptozoologist in search of a mythical creature, the Sea Goliath. In order to reach Solstice Island, a location the ancient leviathan is rumored to haunt, she’s forced to hire charter boat captain, Daniel Decatur.
Initially, Daniel wants nothing to do with the trip or the fool woman waving double payment in his face. Convinced she’s yet another loony treasure hunter looking for gold on the remote island, he reluctantly agrees. An embittered neighbor wants to have his charter license yanked, so the extra cash will help him stay afloat.
It doesn’t take long for Daniel to realize Rylie is after the same beast his parents were tracking when they mysteriously vanished ten years earlier. He’s avoided all links to cryptozoology ever since, but the smart and sexy cryptid hunter has him second-guessing his oath and wondering what he’s signed on for.
Warning: A family legacy, glowing plankton and rough waters
Review:
Rylie enters Daniel’s life with a hefty proposition that he can’t refuse. Rylie offers to pay double the fee for Daniel to charter his boat around Solstice Island. It isn’t until the first day of Rylie’s charter that Daniel finds out that she is a cryptozoologist and she is looking for an elusive Leviathan. Daniel is all too familiar with both of these things. His parents were well-known for their research as cryptozoologists and disappeared in their attempt to discover this creature. Though his first instinct was to tell her to forget about her trip and money he finds her enchanting and can’t say no. It is searching for this creature that Rylie and Daniel find in each other exactly what the other wants and needs.
Rylie and Daniel’s story was an entertaining read. It was a great blend of paranormal and romance. The characters of Rylie and Daniel really make this story. Their love story was quick and cute. I also thought it was a clever idea using the mutual background of the mythical creatures known as cryptids. I did find the small background story of Daniel and Craig a bit unnecessary. I think everything would have ended up the same way without that which seemed more like filler than something important to the story. Overall, this is a great little novella. Mae Clair has scored another great one in my book.