Transformation

The Merman, Book 1

By: X. Aratare

Narrated by: Chris Patton

M/M gay merman romance

Gabriel Braven is destined for a great love, but he does not believe it.

His parents had a storybook romance…until a freak ocean storm robbed them of their lives and left him alone to be raised by his grandmother. With their deaths, Gabriel’s adoration for the sea turned to fear, and his belief in happy-ever-afters turned to dust. Gabriel vowed to never set foot in the ocean again and to never believe in love.

Gabriel kept that promise until after his junior year of college, when he and his best friend, Corey, return to the ocean-side town where he lost his parents in order to help his grandmother. Gabriel’s bitter fear of the water has only grown, along with his belief that it is his destiny to be forever alone.

Corey is determined to prove Gabriel wrong. It is his mission that summer for Gabriel to find love on the beach…and maybe do some swimming, too. Gabriel will settle for simply not reliving his parents’ deaths every time he hears the rush and shush of the waves.

Both may get their wish as Gabriel discovers the hidden past of the Bravens and the sea sends someone amazing to his aid.

Book 2 coming soon!

©2014 Raythe Reign Publishing (P)2014 Raythe Reign Publishing

Short, Sexy and Steamy!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes I would. It's short, sexy and steamy but also well written.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Gabriel of course. I love how his mind and body are at war with one another, can't wait to see who wins that fight.

Have you listened to any of Chris Patton’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No I haven't but I will listen to his work again.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It was and I did.

Any additional comments?

Review: ​
​When Gabriel Braven was just nine years old, he lost both his parents in a boating accident. A young, carefree boy that lived in the water became insanely frightened of it from that point on. Now he's twenty one, graduating college and finally moving back home to the beach that claimed his parents lives. The closer Gabe and his best friend Corey get to the beach the stronger to pull is, the voice that calls Gabriel to the water. As afraid of the ocean as he is, he can't deny how calming the water feels when he's in it. He's also having very vivid dreams of an exotic man that calls to Gabriel's soul, loves him in ways Gabriel has never known and promises Gabe that he will never be alone.

After the accident that took Gabriel's parents, he's become a little cynical, he no longer believes in happiness or love, and he definitely doesn't swim. He is forced into the water to save a couple from drowning and his body literally comes alive under the waves. There there is the dream that is so vivid, so realistic, that Gabriel cannot stop thinking about the gorgeous man that took him in his sleep. Soon Gabriel realizes the water and the man are strongly linked as they are both linked to Gabriel. While Gabriel's body wants nothing more than to disappear into the depths of the ocean with his savior, his mind has other plans, the cynic in him refuses. But time on land is in short supply for Gabe, and the sooner he comes to terms with his destiny, the better.

My three favorite colors... short, sexy and steamy. An erotic little tale of a boy that runs from his destiny only to be drawn back to the place he belongs by circumstance and his subconscious. ​The writing in this story was insane! The way Aratare used words and phrases, the world that was created for Gabriel, always knowing exactly what he was feeling because the author expertly conveyed every emotion. I wasn't sure about the narrator for the first few minutes but then Patton found his footing and the story really took off from there. Gabriel is young, insecure and emotionally scarred because of his parents death. His mind and body are at war with each other when it comes to the water and Patton made sure the listener always knew exactly how young Gabe was feeling. And then the man's quiet but forceful nature that was explored with a sort of monotone but melodic voice, it was perfect for his character.

I'm excited to see where this series takes Gabriel. Will he learn to trust the man? Will he embrace his obvious destiny? I guess we will find out in the coming books. Definitely a must read for anyone that has a fascination with mermen or Paranormal Romance stories.

A great begining!

Who was your favorite character and why?

There are only two main characters in this book and I liked them both. Gabriel and Corey are great together and their brotherhood is amazing.

Any additional comments?

It is a good story and I look forward to listening to the rest of the series.

smooth and sensual

both the story and the narrator flow with a fluidity and sensuality as befitting a Mer. The pace is just right with a perfect balance between action and description.

Too juvenile for me.

I am sure an adolescent would enjoy this, but I didn't. don't bother unless you're a 13 year old boy.

Fantastic!

Awesome story and excellent narration. I’d love to hear this narrator do Raythe’s “The Pact” series!! On to the second audiobook in the series....

enjoyable

really like the story just felt like it ended a little to soon. will read the others because I'm interested in the out come.

in love

ever since I came across this author on Spotify I have loved/ lived each book. this is beautiful. plus the readers voice is like Butter. thank you sir

Hard to rate a story when you didn't get enough.

This isn't even a HFN. It needs to be advertised as a to be continued series. I can't rate the story because it ended in a mini cliffhanger. I am going to continue listening tkk the series but only because it's included in my package, if I had to pay for each installment, I wouldn't continue, too disappointed.

Good start! Way too abrupt an “ending!”

Great start to a mer story. Fantastic narration. But...this stopped as soon as it started to get going. I know there is a second book, but this one, by itself doesn’t complete a story arc.

Also, some of the dialogue seemed a bit forced and I had a weird time fully accepting the characterization of his best friend in a Santa Claus trope.

This engaged me enough to want to continue on with the series!

Enjoyable and well narrated

Exceeded expectations. Can't wait to get to the next book in this series! Narration is particularly exceptional. Will be looking for other books narrated by Chris Patton who makes the listener feel like you're right in the book!