When We Believed in Mermaids: A Novel

We enjoyed this Audiobook on a long drive to Las Vegas. Not knowing the story line I took a change my bf and both would enjoy it! But we both really enjoyed it!

It was a really good book a little drawn out but very good. I wish the was more towards the end about Kit.

When We Believed in Mermaids is an engrossing, turbulent, and poignant book about two sisters, Kit and Josie. When the story begins, Kit is shocked to see her sister in the background of a news broadcast from New Zealand, thousands of miles away from their home in California--especially since Josie had been killed 15 years earlier. When she goes to New Zealand to find her sister, Kit unknowingly sets off a chain of events that will impact her own life, as well as that of her sister and the life she has built. Kit and Josie were such complex, fascinating characters, each of them reacting to the pain of their childhoods which left them emotionally scarred. The flashbacks in the story give so much insight to the horrors of their childhood; the neglect, the abuse, the addictions. But they also show us the love the two sisters had for each other, the closeness they shared until it all went horribly wrong. The setting of the book was fantastic, from the beaches of Santa Cruz to the beauty of New Zealand. And the surfing! The author's descriptions of the girls as they surfed from the time they were children made it feel like I was in the middle of those waves with them! The pages of this book are filled with love; love between sisters, the love of children for their parents, steadfast love, and new love; and how love can somehow withstand everything that threatens to destroy it.

I downloaded this book on a whim and I am so glad I did. This is the first book I’ve read from this author and the story is beautifully written and I fell in love with the characters and the storyline. I could read about Kit and Javier all day!!! And I ache for Josie and everything she went through. Such an amazing book!!!

When We Believed in Mermaids by Barbara O’Neal is an emotional and immersive novel that explores the complexities of family relationships, long-buried secrets, and personal healing. From the very first page, I was drawn in by O’Neal’s lyrical writing and the depth of the characters. The story follows two sisters whose lives have taken very different paths, and the mystery of a long-lost sibling brings them together in unexpected ways. O’Neal does an excellent job of balancing the past and present, slowly unraveling the secrets that have shaped the characters’ lives. The way the author handles the themes of grief, forgiveness, and reconnection makes the novel resonate on an emotional level. One of the highlights of this book is its vivid settings—whether in the sun-soaked beaches of New Zealand or the flashbacks to California, O’Neal’s descriptions are lush and transportive, adding to the overall atmosphere of the story. The plot moves at a steady pace, allowing the characters’ development to take center stage, which made their journeys feel authentic and relatable. For readers who enjoy stories about family dynamics, emotional growth, and a touch of mystery, When We Believed in Mermaids is a wonderful choice. It’s a poignant, heartwarming novel that leaves a lasting impression.

I wasn't expecting this book to be quite as dark as it became, although I'm really not sure why. An emotionally stable person doesn't fake their own death after all. The early glimpses we got of the sister's childhood, seemingly idyllic camps on the beach below their home, surfing and the presence of a beloved older sibling of course were not as they appeared on the surface and as the story develops we learn of neglect and abuse and suicide. As Kit travels to Auckland, chasing a glimpse of her sister's familiar face spotted on a TV newscast, we also meet Mari, living an idyllic suburban family life in NZ. Mari was Josie, Kit's sister once, long ago. I found the ease with which Kit tracked Josie down, once she had a city to work in, just a bit unbelievable. 1.5 million people live in Auckland, and asking around at surfing supply shops was not really feasible because surfing is big in the city. There are a lot of surfers in Auckland. As a New Zealander who grew up in Auckland I was very impressed with the lyrical description of the place. It made me a little homesick. I found the placing of the wonderful Sapphire House difficult. It's said to be in Mt Eden, and the views to the Waitakere ranges support that, but then it's on a cliff top above the sea and Mt Eden is not. But that's a minor quibble from a native. We learn that Mari's name is pronounced Mary, and as a Kiwi I just can't see it that way, especially in a NZ setting, the Maori pronunciation is automatic, and with the long A it should be Maarie. Again, a minor quibble from a local. There's two major subplots, one handled better than the other. One is a historical murder mystery related to the old house that Mari's husband has bought for her. I initially thought there would be parallels between that and the sister's story, but there wasn't and it didn't really go anywhere before being quickly wrapped up at the end. The other was Kit's romance with the unbelievably perfect flamenco singer Javier. It was a typical romance plotline and added a lot to showing how broken Kit was and I loved it, but it seemed a little unbelievable. Mari's husband Simon also seemed too good to be true. Of course, the whole book was leading to the reunion and it was as good and as bad as it could be. The fall out had the potential to be horrendous and I couldn't put the book down, reading late into the night to find out what happened, and thoroughly invested in the characters. The finale had me in tears with a solid emotional kick and a great HFN. This was my first book by this author, a great read and I'll be looking for more of her work.

Loved it! We'll written characters, good pace and unexpected twists.

I wasn't sure I'd like this story but was soon engrossed in these broken people's lives . It's a fabulous book and ill at some point read it again .

Love Barbara’s books, couldn’t put this down, she knows how to create good characters you believe in, the stories are different each time. Her descriptions of places bring them to life.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the tale of the two sisters, the introduction of the brother, the erratic relationship between their parents and the underlying essence of love. I read it cover to cover, and immersed myself in the story. Now that I have finished the book, I feel a sense of loss. The characters were believable and authentic, and like a true love story, it all comes together in the end 💝

Barbara in her unique poetic style reaches into our heart and soul with this extraordinary story of hurt, loss, love and redemption. Great !