Full Description

Wild Blue Under

The underwater kingdom is his as soon as he claims his queen…
Rod Tritone has the looks and charm to snag any queen he wants for his Mer kingdom, but unfortunately, it's not up to him. As fate would have it, the one woman destined to rule with him is terrified of water…

She lives in land-locked Kansas and has no idea she's a princess…
Valerie Dumere thinks Rod is gorgeous and irresistible—but why does he keep insisting she has another side to herself that only he can show her?

Somehow, Rod has to prove to her who she really is. But when she finds out the truth, will she ever forgive him?

PRAISE FOR JUDI FENNELL:

"A delightful, quirky blend of humor, adventure, and passion."
Star-Crossed Romance

"Judi Fennell is a bright star on the horizon of romance."
Judi McCoy, author of Hounding the Pavement

"A new romance star is born...and her name is Judi Fennell."
Jill Barnett, New York Times bestselling author

"Bubbly fun in this sparkling ‘under the sea' tale."
Virginia Kantria, USA Today bestselling author

"Fennell's under-the-sea suspense will enchant you with its wit, humor and sexiness. In Over Her Head is a great debut book and I'm glad to hear there are more to come."
Caridad Pineiro, New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of South Beach Chicas Catch Their Man

"A fantastic debut novel, Judi Fennell has put the 'beach' back in beach read!"
Virginia Farmer, award-winning author of A Blast to the Past

"Holy mackerel! In Over Her Head is a fantastically fun romantic catch—Judi Fennell has one heck of an imagination!"
Michelle Rowen, author of Bitten & Smitten

"A wondrous undersea adventure—molten moments, waves of sensuality, ripples of emotion, and depths of fun. Not to be missed!"
LA Banks, The Vampire Huntress Legends series

"In Over Her Head is a heartwarming, action-packed story of two people—one human and the other of the seaworthy body—joined together in an adventure."
Armchair Interviews

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Excerpt

Excerpt

Excerpt from Chapter 1

"So you're really going to give up your tail and leave the sea? On purpose? First your brother, now you… What is wrong with this family?"

If Rod Tritone heard that question one more time, he was going to strangle Chumley Masticar's thin, whitestriped neck. The fish didn't know when to quit.

It wasn't as if he wanted to do this, but when The Council decreed something, it had to be done. Gods knew, when he became the High Councilman, he'd demand the same obedience.

"Yes, Chum, I'm going. Right after I grab my bag."
Rod kicked his tail for a burst of speed to outswim the fish and headed to his lair in the hills of Atlantis. The one thing he had to remember to pack was the gods' oil that would ensure his tail returned when he did.

"Lose it and lose the tail forever," his father, the current High Councilman, had said. As if that was an option.
"Do you want company?" The suckerless remora wriggled his long body for all it was worth to catch up, and Rod didn't have the heart not to let him. "Reel said he'd put
in a saltwater tank so I could visit. Not that I'd be thrilled being in a cage, but still, it would be nice to see where he and his wife live. Check out the Human world without worrying about someone wanting to eat me or anything."

Humans ate remora? Rod couldn't imagine why. Unless it was to shut them up.
Rod swerved around the magma well whose emissions refracted through seawater and off the gold-covered walls of the cavern city, turning the darkness into light. He skimmed above the coral topiaries, nodding to the parrotfish who kept Atlantis so beautiful. He'd traveled the world's oceans from Bimini to the South Pacific, from the icy waters of the north to the crystal blue glacial waters of the south, but nothing compared to the beauty of the Mer capital.

"Sorry, Chum, but this is a solo mission. Simple recovery."
One that involved him getting legs, traveling to the middle of the landmass, and retrieving a Human. Of all things to pull him off his Trench Survey for.
"Oh. Right. Gotcha." Chum glided beneath a ray who had emerged from a sand pond inside a circle of stonefaced statues. Without a sucker on his head, the remora wouldn't have much luck sticking to the ray for a meal.

Poor guy. Always trying to relive his glory days.
"So," Chum said, returning to Rod's side, "tell me why The Council thinks this Human is the answer to The Prophecy. I mean, how old is she? I thought only the royal family lived forever. That Prophecy is almost two millennia old, and The Oracles haven't come up with an answer yet. I don't get it."

"Well, first of all, she's not Human. Not completely."
Rod veered up to the top of the Commerce Building for one last look at the city before venturing into the shark's nest that was land.

One day, this would all be his. The rule of the seas, the unlimited wealth of the diamond Vault, the history of his people. All of it his to protect and serve. Just like his father. And his grandfather. And generations before him.

The responsibility settled on him like an anchor. Rod sucked in a pint of seawater, shook off the feeling, and headed toward home. "Before he died, Lance Dumere admitted to an affair with a Human that resulted in a child."

Chum puckered his lips and tried to whistle. He'd never been successful before, and this time wasn't any different.

"Once Lance came clean," Rod continued as they reached the ornamental gates to his neighborhood, "The Council started its own search. The Members didn't want to start a panic, but they couldn't leave a landed Mer out there for Humans to discover."

"So now they've found her and want you to go after her?"
"That's it in a conch shell." Rod swam over the marble-domed roof of his lair and opened the weathered oak door, grimacing as it shuddered on its hinges. Seawater had a corrosive effect on the hinges after a while, no matter what they were made of. He had hoped to be living in the High Councilman quarters before they needed to be replaced.

"So how's she supposed to fulfill The Prophecy? She's a Hybrid, for Apollo's sake." Chum swam in behind him, wending through a natural fissure in the lava statue in the foyer that Rod's sister, Mariana, had sculpted.

A flick of Rod's tail propelled him to the sofa, which a sea cucumber colony had overtaken, and where his sister, Angel, had dropped off a watertight package containing a duffel bag and clothing for his trip. Angel was the repository of all things Human these days. "Since she's Dumere's long-lost offspring, The Council feels she's the 'that which was lost' part of The Prophecy. By bringing her back, they're hoping to prevent the world—'that which is known'—from being lost."

"Huh?"
Pretty much his reaction when his father, Fisher, had explained it. He'd figured it to be another of the many tests the gods had put to him throughout his life to prepare him for his title. Although as far as Rod was concerned, The Prophecy was more the drunken ramblings of one of the gods after too much ouzo and ambrosia than any great revelation. No test the gods devised would include sending The Heir onto land without a valid reason.

Saving the planet was a valid reason.
Rod flipped open a pirate's chest that held the diamond decanter containing the gods' oil, as well as the packet of paperwork The Council had included to convince Lance's daughter. "The polar regions are melting, Chum. The Council hopes to mitigate that damage by fulfilling The Prophecy."
"So what's she going to do? Give the ice caps the cold shoulder to keep them stable?" Chum laughed at his own joke.

The short seaquake that hit the Mer capital proved the gods didn't find it a laughing matter. The Humans on Bermuda—the island directly above Atlantis—probably didn't think so either.

Rod sure as Hades didn't. As soon as he finished this mission, he could get back to the business at fin by finally claiming the throne—the job he'd been born to do—and figuring out some way to work on his Trench Survey.

Cataloging the offshoot of the world's deepest ocean trench, one Humans had yet to discover, was his chance to be known as someone other than the lucky Son of a Mer who'd inherited the oldest throne on Earth simply by virtue of his birthright. A way to become the Mer he could be if he weren't The Heir.

And a way to erase the collective memory of that damn dare to Reel so long ago. Rod had broken the biggest rule of their world with it by risking Humans learning about Mers, thereby setting the pattern for the rest of his and Reel's lives.

"But what happens if something goes wrong? What if you don't get your tail back? Or fall in love with her and opt to stay on land like Reel did? Isn't Drake next in line? Do they really want that idiot running the show?"

Chum helped himself to a piece of the calamari Rod's mother had sent over.
Opt to stay on land? Fall in love with her? As if that would happen. The High Councilman couldn't dilute the bloodline of future generations, and this woman was a Hybrid.

No, losing Reel from their world was more than enough of an incentive for him. Add in everything he'd had to do since the fallout from that dare—studying, learning, memorizing, following every rule, statute, dictate, edict, and proclamation the gods had set down—and he wasn't about to blow it now.

One failure in his life was enough.

"So you're really going to give up your tail and leave the sea? On purpose? First your brother, now you… What is wrong with this family?"

If Rod Tritone heard that question one more time, he was going to strangle Chumley Masticar's thin, whitestriped neck. The fish didn't know when to quit.

It wasn't as if he wanted to do this, but when The Council decreed something, it had to be done. Gods knew, when he became the High Councilman, he'd demand the same obedience.

"Yes, Chum, I'm going. Right after I grab my bag."
Rod kicked his tail for a burst of speed to outswim the fish and headed to his lair in the hills of Atlantis. The one thing he had to remember to pack was the gods' oil that would ensure his tail returned when he did.

"Lose it and lose the tail forever," his father, the current High Councilman, had said. As if that was an option.
"Do you want company?" The suckerless remora wriggled his long body for all it was worth to catch up, and Rod didn't have the heart not to let him. "Reel said he'd put
in a saltwater tank so I could visit. Not that I'd be thrilled being in a cage, but still, it would be nice to see where he and his wife live. Check out the Human world without worrying about someone wanting to eat me or anything."

Humans ate remora? Rod couldn't imagine why. Unless it was to shut them up.
Rod swerved around the magma well whose emissions refracted through seawater and off the gold-covered walls of the cavern city, turning the darkness into light. He skimmed above the coral topiaries, nodding to the parrotfish who kept Atlantis so beautiful. He'd traveled the world's oceans from Bimini to the South Pacific, from the icy waters of the north to the crystal blue glacial waters of the south, but nothing compared to the beauty of the Mer capital.

"Sorry, Chum, but this is a solo mission. Simple recovery."
One that involved him getting legs, traveling to the middle of the landmass, and retrieving a Human. Of all things to pull him off his Trench Survey for.
"Oh. Right. Gotcha." Chum glided beneath a ray who had emerged from a sand pond inside a circle of stonefaced statues. Without a sucker on his head, the remora wouldn't have much luck sticking to the ray for a meal.

Poor guy. Always trying to relive his glory days.
"So," Chum said, returning to Rod's side, "tell me why The Council thinks this Human is the answer to The Prophecy. I mean, how old is she? I thought only the royal family lived forever. That Prophecy is almost two millennia old, and The Oracles haven't come up with an answer yet. I don't get it."

"Well, first of all, she's not Human. Not completely."
Rod veered up to the top of the Commerce Building for one last look at the city before venturing into the shark's nest that was land.

One day, this would all be his. The rule of the seas, the unlimited wealth of the diamond Vault, the history of his people. All of it his to protect and serve. Just like his father. And his grandfather. And generations before him.

The responsibility settled on him like an anchor. Rod sucked in a pint of seawater, shook off the feeling, and headed toward home. "Before he died, Lance Dumere admitted to an affair with a Human that resulted in a child."

Chum puckered his lips and tried to whistle. He'd never been successful before, and this time wasn't any different.

"Once Lance came clean," Rod continued as they reached the ornamental gates to his neighborhood, "The Council started its own search. The Members didn't want to start a panic, but they couldn't leave a landed Mer out there for Humans to discover."

"So now they've found her and want you to go after her?"
"That's it in a conch shell." Rod swam over the marble-domed roof of his lair and opened the weathered oak door, grimacing as it shuddered on its hinges. Seawater had a corrosive effect on the hinges after a while, no matter what they were made of. He had hoped to be living in the High Councilman quarters before they needed to be replaced.

"So how's she supposed to fulfill The Prophecy? She's a Hybrid, for Apollo's sake." Chum swam in behind him, wending through a natural fissure in the lava statue in the foyer that Rod's sister, Mariana, had sculpted.

A flick of Rod's tail propelled him to the sofa, which a sea cucumber colony had overtaken, and where his sister, Angel, had dropped off a watertight package containing a duffel bag and clothing for his trip. Angel was the repository of all things Human these days. "Since she's Dumere's long-lost offspring, The Council feels she's the 'that which was lost' part of The Prophecy. By bringing her back, they're hoping to prevent the world—'that which is known'—from being lost."

"Huh?"
Pretty much his reaction when his father, Fisher, had explained it. He'd figured it to be another of the many tests the gods had put to him throughout his life to prepare him for his title. Although as far as Rod was concerned, The Prophecy was more the drunken ramblings of one of the gods after too much ouzo and ambrosia than any great revelation. No test the gods devised would include sending The Heir onto land without a valid reason.

Saving the planet was a valid reason.
Rod flipped open a pirate's chest that held the diamond decanter containing the gods' oil, as well as the packet of paperwork The Council had included to convince Lance's daughter. "The polar regions are melting, Chum. The Council hopes to mitigate that damage by fulfilling The Prophecy."
"So what's she going to do? Give the ice caps the cold shoulder to keep them stable?" Chum laughed at his own joke.

The short seaquake that hit the Mer capital proved the gods didn't find it a laughing matter. The Humans on Bermuda—the island directly above Atlantis—probably didn't think so either.

Rod sure as Hades didn't. As soon as he finished this mission, he could get back to the business at fin by finally claiming the throne—the job he'd been born to do—and figuring out some way to work on his Trench Survey.

Cataloging the offshoot of the world's deepest ocean trench, one Humans had yet to discover, was his chance to be known as someone other than the lucky Son of a Mer who'd inherited the oldest throne on Earth simply by virtue of his birthright. A way to become the Mer he could be if he weren't The Heir.

And a way to erase the collective memory of that damn dare to Reel so long ago. Rod had broken the biggest rule of their world with it by risking Humans learning about Mers, thereby setting the pattern for the rest of his and Reel's lives.

"But what happens if something goes wrong? What if you don't get your tail back? Or fall in love with her and opt to stay on land like Reel did? Isn't Drake next in line? Do they really want that idiot running the show?"

Chum helped himself to a piece of the calamari Rod's mother had sent over.
Opt to stay on land? Fall in love with her? As if that would happen. The High Councilman couldn't dilute the bloodline of future generations, and this woman was a Hybrid.

No, losing Reel from their world was more than enough of an incentive for him. Add in everything he'd had to do since the fallout from that dare—studying, learning, memorizing, following every rule, statute, dictate, edict, and proclamation the gods had set down—and he wasn't about to blow it now.

One failure in his life was enough.

Reviews

Reviews

Night Owl Romance Tamazon
Wild Blue Under is a funny and compelling read. The pace is fast as you accompany a Mer prince and a half Mer woman on an over the land adventure as they race for the sea. Along the way they find love and combat an enemy that has it in for the royal family. The characters bravely face attack birds as prince Rod adapts to land foods, customs and a human. Valerie Dumere doesn’t know that she is half Mer and Rod is not interested in humans, but things are about to change as they are thrown into each other’s lives. It’s all very hilarious and the story pulls on the heartstrings.

This is the second book in Ms. Fennel’s Mer series and is best read in order. Book three will be out soon and Judi has a Genie series coming soon. I’m very much looking forward to both the completion of this series and the new series.

In Wild Blue Under Mer prince Rod Triton has been put on a mission. He has to deliver Valerie Dumere to the ocean. The thing is Valerie is currently living in land locked Kansas and is terrified of the sea. She’s allergic to the sea and stays as far away from it as possible. With an evil man throwing distractions in their way will Rod be able to complete his mission? Will a Mer prince find a half Mer acceptable as a mate? Can Rod give up all for a mate who doesn’t have the all-important tale?

Romance Reader at Heart Susan Barton
Judi Fennell begins her paranormal romance WILD BLUE UNDER (series Book 2) in Kansas, which seems like an unusual place for a mermaid (or half mermaid) like Valerie Dumare to be living and selling shells at a beach-themed store, unless her mother never told her. Rod Tritone is next in line to rule the underwater world of Atlantis, and he’s been sent to the center of the continent to retrieve Valerie so she can inherit her father’s governorship.

A simple recovery mission. So how is Rod going to convince the lovely Valerie to follow him to the ocean, jump in and receive her tail? Oh, and Rod’s father, the current ruler of Atlantis, didn’t mention to him that somebody is gunning for him. Will the pair even make it to the Jersey shore if they have to elude an angry albatross who has amassed an air force of dive bombing crows, falcons and cowbirds?

Talk about a ’fish out of water’ story! Fennell takes your typical buoy meets gull love story and takes it for a spin before she finally reels it all in. Rod is working under a time constraint. He has a special oil to put on his legs to enable his tail to come back when he finally dives back into the ocean, but he’s running out of the stuff. Valerie is deathly afraid of the ocean because her mother told her that she’s allergic to it. She’s only going along with Rod because she’s found out that the store she inherited from her mom is about to be foreclosed, and she’s hoping to cash in on the inheritance Rod has promised to her. Well that, and the fact that Rod is the most scrumptious man she’s ever laid eyes on. She is so strong, though, that when push comes to shove, she picks jumping into the ocean to save Rod rather than hiding on land.

Fennell has a real gift for puns and wordplay, and I found it to be just the right way to add lightness to a suspenseful story. Valerie and Rod have great chemistry, and the sparks fly whenever one of them opens their mouth.

It felt like a classic Bogey and Bacall romance with all the slapstick adventure, the wisecracking dialogue, and the steamy kissing when they finally get down to business. The villains are brilliantly portrayed and there are some great twists. Who knew the gods had such a wild sense of humor? The only thing that leaves me puzzled, and I guess I just have to go with the flow here, is how food and drink stay on plates and in glasses underwater. I spent way too many brain cells trying to grasp that concept. I really loved the pictures she painted of underwater gardens, homes, and artwork created by shellfish and other sea life.

WILD BLUE UNDER is a fun Sunday afternoon or ’beach read.’ It is a fantastic combination of romance, adventure, and verbal hilarity. I can’t wait to read the third book in this Atlantis series.

The Romantic Times Devon Paige
Fennell returns with another underwater adventure, her second story about the Tritone brothers. She’s proving herself to be a solid storyteller, and this tale is an enjoyable and pleasant read.

Book Nerd Extraordinaire Jaime Huff
"Wild Blue Under" is the second book of author, Judi Fennell’s Mer Trilogy, and the first of hers I have read and definitely won’t be the last, either! I will definitely going back and buying book #1 "In Over Her Head" which is about Reel, Rod’s brother. However, "Wild Blue Under" didn’t suffer at all as a stand alone.

I will say first and foremost, I totally giggled at the Tritone’s names, dad’s name is Fisher, sons Rod and Reel. I have to throw that out first. I love it! Imagine a world with Atlantis still being under sea, thriving and being ruled by the Mers, well Judi Fennell was able to create this world and mixing in the concerns current today about the environment, and an elite military style group of birds and dolphins. On top of that, throw in the unbelievably sexy Rod and the gorgeous Valerie and some hot, steamy scenes which are hot enough to raise the oceanic temperature and make me wish I had my own real life princely Mer Rod Tritone.

"Wild Blue Under" had action, political coup attempts, jealousy, love and be still my beating heart, Kansas. Judi Fennell included Kansas in her book. Why do I care? I am a Kansas girl, myself and am a little partial to Kansas and will always be a Kansas girl. I just wish, though, she would have added a little more locale detail but even without it, this book was A+ in my world.

Once again, this book was such a fun, delightful read. I love the talking birds, Maybelle and Adele, those two added something special as they thwarted the cowbirds with their feminine charms. Like I always say.... girl power :)

Darque Reviews Kimberly Swan
Rod Tritone, heir to the throne of the undersea world, needs a queen capable of ruling the oldest kingdom on earth. Someone regal, learned and of noble birth. Problem is, the only eligible noble-born Mer princess is half-Human - and she doesn’t have a clue about the non-Human part.

Valerie Dumere has screwed up her life at every turn, so when her mother dies and leaves her the family business, Val realizes it’s up to her to buckle down and get her life on track. No more excuses.

So when a guy shows up claiming to be her destiny, she scoffs. No way. She isn’t running away from her responsibilities ever again - no matter how good the guy looks without a shirt.

But Rod isn’t going away. He can’t claim his inheritance without her - and Val will lose hers if she goes with him.

It’s going to take one whale of a tale to get her to chuck it all and follow him off into the wild blue under...

My thoughts:

Rod Tritone is the son who will one day take his father’s place on the throne. It’s a position he has prepared for, and his responsibilities have just taken him on a quest to bring Valerie Dumere home. The problem isn’t in finding Val, it’s in convincing her that she’s half Mer and belongs in his underwater world. He has a long way to go in proving her heritage, but with both of their futures at stake Rod won’t stop until she believes.

Wild Blue Under is the second installment in the Tritone Trilogy. Ms. Fennell pens a fun tale with hilarity and high jinks that will keep readers smiling through the most serious of scenes. With a fast pace and its charming characters, Wild Blue Under is sure to please fans who enjoy a nice dose of humor with their romance.

Bloody Bad Books Katrina Hall
Wild Blue Under in a nutshell:
I began this series a bit out of order, I started Wild Blue Under first. It did not confuse me as in the story line but I got a bit annoyed (maybe that is not the right word) with all the under the sea analogies. Every other page something fishy would pop up. For instance, "Oh, Hades!" or "That’s it in a conch shell." I was a little tired of it by page 100. Then it began to mellow down. It was as if the longer Rod remained on land the less and less sea analogies he used or even thought about. I wonder if this was done intentionally. It wasn’t until I read book one did I realize the imagination and effort it took to write this series.


Ms. Fennell did a wonderful job creating an underwater world with beauty, elegance, mystery and intrigue. This subject is not one that has been over done and there is so much room to grow and expand with it. She could do far more that the 3 books already on the table (Book 3 is slated for Feburary) and her fans would not get tired in the least. The characters are guided by passion, duty and the gods, with Zeus in charge of the whole shibang. Not only is Judi’s underwater world a delight but she has a way with timing her plot that is amazing.

The flow of the book was just right. There are times when you read a book and you think to yourself "enough with the . . . Already!" In Wild Blue Under the was never a chance for that. Just when you thought the action was getting a bit much the main characters would have a love scene or the bad guy would flip the script. Great twists and turns, and the hired "antagonist" (!!!) You are never going to guess who it is, don’t even try!

Wild Blue Under is a great escape from the world we live in. So, grab the book, a glass of (salt) water and dive in.

A Bibliophile’s Bookshelf Bella McGuire
Before I started Wild Blue Under I promised myself I wouldn’t gush this time. Remember last time, when I raved about the brilliance of Judi Fennell with her new novel, In Over Her Head? In my defense it’s all Judi Fennell’s fault. Wild Blue Under is such a great follow-up to In Over Her Head that I have no choice but to gush.

In Wild Blue Under our favorite Mer family is back. This time the story follows Rod, eldest son, as he makes the journey to become heir to the Mer Kingdom.

Not being a writer myself, I am ever in awe of authors that can pull off a good trilogy. It is important for each novel to be able to stand on their own merits, and yet connect with the previous novel. Judi Fennell masters this art with Wild Blue Under with ease. I loved her first novel, In Over Her Head, and wasn’t expecting Wild Blue Under to be better, but it was.

Rod is the opposite of his twin brother, Reel, in every way. In In Over Her Head we get introduced to Reel and his fun-loving personality. In Wild Blue Under the story is all about Rod, and he is a serious yet sexy Mer. It is a lot of fun watching as Rod clashes with impulsive Valerie, as he tries to convince her that that not only the world of Mers exist, but she is half Mer herself.

I like that Judi Fennell has centered this storyline around the High Council of Atlantis, the governing body of the Mers. The inter-politics of the Mers are a little different to our own society, and it was interesting reading about this society. Being a fan of mythology, I loved the inclusion of the gods, especially Zeus! I sure do hope there will be more of this to come in the final book, Catch of a Lifetime.

I loved everything about this story. Rod and Valerie light up the pages with their explosive attraction to each other, the story is everything that I could hope for in a Mer-romance. Above all this though I loved the humor and the secondary characters. Judi Fennell writes the humor so effortlessly into each chapter and the secondary characters always had me in giggles, especially Livingston, the seagull who is head of Air Security Agency.

So whether it’s for the steamy romance, the beautiful Atlantis or the funny Livingston I recommend, no I demand, everyone go out and buy Judi Fennell’s Wild Blue Under. It will have you laughing and smiling and craving more from this fabulous new author.

Sia McKye’s Thoughts Over Coffee Sia McKye Danzo
Growing up, some of my favorite TV shows were a blend of comedy and serious.

I loved the touch of paranormal/comedy in I Dream of Jeannie and Bewitched. The comedy was focused on normal humans coming into contact with humans with magical/mythical powers. The fun part was the reaction of everyday people when they did. Magic that got out of hand and the dashing about to save the day. Explaining the unexplainable. Yet, these shows dealt with serious issues and human emotions: love, jealousy, aging, job security, raising kids, nosey neighbors, national security, and interfering in-laws. They all had a ‘twist’ and they made you feel good when the show was over.

This is what I love about Judi Fennell’s books. Romance that’s funny, engaging, definitely hot, and makes you feel good when you’ve finished the book. I loved it!

Wild Blue Under is the second book of Judi’s Tritone Mer Trilogy. It’s even better than the first. Like my favorite shows, it deals with serious issues—life and death but Fennell maintains her theme of Fairy Tales With A Twist. Take the improbable, add superb characters, and then build a marvelous story, filled with laughter, dangerous adventure, romance, and a happy ending.

What would you do if you found out birds could talk, and not only talk but plan out evasive maneuvers when under attack? Or that the talking Sea Gull was the Chief of Aerial Security tasked with the responsibility keeping the Heir to the throne safe? Or that birds could become terrorists and close down airports and create havoc on the highways to stop traffic?

This is just some of the many things that normal, Valerie Dumere, has to not only deal with but also make sense of while dealing with a not normal, hot hunk named Rod Tritone. Valerie is determined to stick to one thing and which is making her mother’s shop a success. She’s done with her restless wandering.

Rod is the sexy, highly responsible heir to the Mer throne. His assignment is to bring half Mer princess to Atlantis. Valerie, on the other hand, doesn’t know she’s half Mer and is deathly allergic to saltwater. Rod fabricates an inheritance to get her to come from the landlocked mid-west to the Atlantic so he can prove to her what she is, and fulfill his assignment.

What follows is a face-paced series of misadventures that will have you not only laughing but also rooting for Val and Rod. Rod’s life is in danger. Valerie thinks she’s lost her mind. Toss in an impossible romance and Livingston, a wisecracking Sea Gull is the Chief of Aerial Security tasked with the responsibility of keeping Rod alive and Valerie to the coast, and you have a highly entertaining read.

If you liked In Over Her Head, you are going to LOVE Wild Blue Under!

Look out world; Judi Fennell’s star is rising high.

Harriet Klausner
When his father steps down as High Councilman, Rod Tritone knows his duty is to replace him running the Kingdom of Mer. However, the ruling Council directs Rod that before he assumes the position he will marry the lost daughter of Mer. Although he does not want to marry anyone nor go on land, Rod understands his people’s needs come before his desires.

He is given legs so he can walk with the landlubbers as his queen is on the surface in ironically land locked Kansas selling ocean tchotchkes at Therese’s Treasure Trove. Valerie Dumere scoffs at Rod’s instance that she is a hybrid human-mermaid as she has never had a tail nor can she even swim. However, when someone tries to kill her, Val knows something is not right, but still scorns her rescuer’s insistence that he lives under the sea.

The second Tritone brother Mer urban-oceanic romantic fantasy (see In Over her Head) is a terrific tale of the tail from the moment Rod arrives at the store knowing this can’t be Atlantis. Fans will enjoy the amusing banter between the disbeliever and the Mer trying to convince her to dive into the ocean as his mate while a predator wants her dead. This is a fun fantasy with readers wondering whether Val will there’s no place like home when you are loved by the one you treasure.

Love Romances and More
WILD BLUE UNDER is the second book in Ms. Fennell’s fascinating Mer series and although you can read the book as a stand-alone, I promise you will be so curious about Reel’s story you will also want to pick up IN OVER HER HEAD, too.

Rod Tritone is the heir to the undersea kingdom and for him duty comes first. He knows he has to marry a perfect and noble mer princess, but what he didn’t count on were his feelings for the half-mer—half-human, Valerie Dumere. He knew he should have brought her back under the sea, but she didn’t know about her mer heritage and was gun shy when it came to relationships. To make the situation even more complicated someone is trying to kill Rod and kidnap Valerie. They have to flee from their enemy, but find they can no longer escape their feelings, but is there a happy ever after end for them?

Ms. Fennell has created a fascinating under water world with funny and very lovable characters. You will absolutely fall in love with them. The book is fun to read and I found the sea analogies really fitting for the story. There is never a boring moment in the story, because the story is filled with action and there is more than one twist and turn that will keep you on your toes.
I can hardly wait to read book three, CATCH OF A LIFETIME, which will be released February 2010. I really hope that there will be more books about the fascinating Mer people and their under water kingdom.

If you are looking for an unusual and fascinating book, don’t look any further because I can highly recommend this one!

4.5/5 Rating

Wendy’s Minding Spot Wendy Hines
Valerie Dumere has always been restless, searching for that something to complete her life. Unable to find it, she returns home to run her late mother’s souvenior shop.

Rod Tritone is the Heir to the Kingdom of Atlantis. The council needs someone to go fetch the human, Valerie, to claim her birthright, and they choose Rod to do it. He vows he won’t be like his brother and fall in love with the human as he loves the sea and his tail.

When Valerie and Rod meet, sparks fly. Instant attraction, and Valerie wants nothing to do with her inheritance, as she believes her father left her. She never knew him and she doesn’t want to now. But when she finds out about back taxes owed on the shop she knows she needs her inheritance to keep it.

She agrees to go to the beach with Rod and his talking bird Livingston even though she is deathly allergic to the sea. But along the way, they are attacked by fish and other anamolies that make their journey treacherous. Rod may never get Valerie to the sea to show her her inheritance, and if he doesn’t get his legs back in the water soon, he will lose his tail forever.

Wild Blue Under is another under-the-sea adventure that is simply marvelous. The talking birds had me grinning ear to ear and the romance between Valerie and Rod was sweet, yet passionate. I love this series, and Judi Fennel’s imagination knows no bounds. If your looking for a light romance with some comedy and a great plot, pick up WILD BLUE UNDER - there’s nothing fishy about it!

So Many Books, So Little Time Blog Andrea Mason
This is the second book in the series by Judi Fennell, with In Over Her Head being the first, and once again I really enjoyed it. For some reason, I had a hard time following what was happening in this book. I think I was trying to remember what happened in the first one and relate it to this one, but it wasn’t necessary to do that.

I loved the characters. Valerie seemed very real and down-to-earth, Rod seemed like a hot Mer, and Livingston, the seagull, cracked me up! I once again loved the humor in the book and the way Judi Fennell played with everyday sayings and made them ocean-y. Instead of "That’s it in a nut shell" we got "That’s it in a conch shell." Instead of "Oh Lord", we get "Oh Hades" or "Oh Zeus" and many more.

I just love these books and their twist on a favorite fairy tale. I can’t wait to read the next book, Catch of a Lifetime, when it comes out in February!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

Anna’s Book Blog Anna Lemkau
Thoughts: Valerie Dumere doesn’t know it yet, but she’s destined for greater things. Rod Tritone, next in line to be King to the Mer people walks into her life and turns it upside down. With his good looks and charm, Valerie can’t help being attracted to him.

Wild Blue Under is a riveting tale. This story is filled with danger, romance and intrigue. Ms. Fennell has wowed me again with her world of under the sea characters. While I enjoyed the romance between Rod & Valerie, I loved the hilarious talking seagull, Livingston a lot more! In a genre of vampire, werewolves and demons this series is a breath of fresh air.

Score: 4 Stars

I Loves 2 Read Anita Morgan
Wild Blue Under is the second of a Mer-human series by Judi Fennell, the first being In Over Her Head. Judi Fennell has created a very imaginative romance series about Mer-humans and a whole new take on the water and animal world around us. There are many books that are based around the mythical City of Atlantis, and the creatures that reside there, most of them have a darker feel about them, more evil; Judi Fennell’s world is like a breath of fresh air, bright and happy despite the danger and suspense. I think that is what appeals to me the most about her books. I love paranormal/fantasy romance novels; I enjoy the dark, aggressive heroes – but the sweet tenderness of Rod’s (and Reel’s) character and the less evil and sinister feel of the books as a whole provides a nice change.

What I liked most about Wild Blue Under is that Valerie and Rod had a chance to develop their relationship. Sure, there was the obvious instant sexual attraction that usually takes place in a romance novel, but they were given a chance to get to know one another. Each talked about their life, growing up, who they were, who they wish they were. It made the relationship between the two more believable. When they finally joined as a couple, they loved each other; it wasn’t merely an attraction.

My least favorite part; all the talking birds. I understand that this is fantasy, and I absolutely 100% agree that in these books anything and everything can happen and is fair game, but the talking birds continued to transform this into a “it could happen” novel to a “this could be a cartoon” novel for me. Most of the time I was just reading and trying to keep the thought that Livingston was just another character in the book, and kept his bird status deep in the back of my head.

Passion for the Page Kristie Lewandowski
What’s it all about? Wild Blue Under is the second book in Judi Fennell’s Mer series. In this one, Rod Tritone, heir to the Mer throne, must lose his tail and travel inland to Kansas. He’s looking for a Mer princess named Valerie Dumere. Valerie has no idea that she is half Mer (or that the Mer kingdom exists at all). In fact, she’s convinced that she is allergic to ocean water. Somehow, Rod must convince her that he’s not insane and to come with him halfway across the country to claim her destiny.

My thoughts: Wild Blue Under is a very cute story. I enjoyed it quite a lot, but I have to say that I preferred the first book in the series, In Over Her Head. I think I liked In Over Her Head better because Ms. Fennell’s depiction of the ocean’s inhabitants (think Finding Nemo and Shark Tales type characters) allowed her imagination and humor to really shine. My favorite scenes in Wild Blue Under, the ones that I thought really flowed, were also the underwater scenes and, overall, I found the story cute and charming. So, if you’re looking for a couple of fun, light-hearted romances (or have someone on your Christmas list who needs some stress relief), I’d highly recommend both of these books.

The Book Faery Farrah Kennedy
Thanks to Sourcebooks for sending me the second in Fennell’s trilogy. To read what I thought of the first one and check out my interview with Judi Fennell, go here.

It just gets better and better in the Tritone Trilogy. “The Little Mermaid” has definitely grown up! Lots of humor, imagination, and hot sexual tension amongst these pages. Not too much sex (but when it’s there “by Gods” is it there!) and lots of adventure which will have you reminded of “The Little Mermaid” with it’s talking birds and sea creatures. A fast read that will have you turning pages without realizing time has “swum” by so quickly.

The Long and Short of It Hibiscus
Rod Tritone, heir to the throne of the undersea world, needs a queen capable of ruling the oldest kingdom on earth. Someone regal, learned and of noble birth. Problem is, the only eligible noble-born Mer princess is half-Human - and she doesn’t have a clue about the non-Human part.

Valerie Dumere has screwed up her life at every turn, so when her mother dies and leaves her the family business, Val realizes it’s up to her to buckle down and get her life on track. No more excuses.

So when a guy shows up claiming to be her destiny, she scoffs. No way. She isn’t running away from her responsibilities ever again - no matter how good the guy looks without a shirt.

But Rod isn’t going away. He can’t claim his inheritance without her - and Val will lose hers if she goes with him.

It’s going to take one whale of a tale to get her to chuck it all and follow him off into the wild blue under...

Think of The Little Mermaid on land, then mix in a good portion of Enchanted. That is what I found in Wild Blue Under. Ms. Fenell’s second book in this delightful series is a cute story of a merman and a hybrid human mermaid mix. The twist comes when the hybrid doesn’t realize what she is.

Valerie Dumere is the heroine of the story who is allergic to the ocean. She returns to Kansas to run Therese’s Treasure Trove, her deceased mother’s store that sells ocean tchotchkes. Valerie learns that she has an inheritance from her dead father who she never knew, has a run-in with the tax man and meets Rod Tritone. Valerie gets into Lucy-like situations, is always admiring Rod’s better assets and doesn’t seemed at all phased by talking birds or sea creatures.

Rod Tritone is the soon to be High Councilman of the Oceanic Council who undertakes a special mission to locate the missing landed Mer and fulfill The Prophecy and save the world from being lost. This is a noble undertaking that Rod believes will not take long. Little does he know that he has to contend with not only Valerie but a plethora of avian foes that are determined to undermine his mission.

I enjoyed reading about all the minor characters. I was able to visualize each and everyone as their well defined traits along with their quirky mannerisms which made them unique from any other character in the story. I was glad to be reacquainted with Livingston and enjoyed meeting Maybelle and Adele, who helped Valerie and Rod in their journey. I loved the Hitchcock-esc story lines on Valerie and Rod’s trip. Did anyone else envision the movie The Birds?

If you can overlook Valerie’s easy acceptance of everything that occurs to her, especially toward the later part of the story, I hope you’ll find Wild Blue Under to be as much as an enjoyable journey to the ocean as I did. This is truly a starfish in the sea of writings. I can’t wait to see what is next in this whimsical series.

Once Upon a Romance Robyn Roberts
Rod Tritone has spent his whole life preparing to take over the underwater kingdom of Atlantis and lead the entire Mer kingdom. He needs to complete a mission of such importance to the Mer kingdom that it requires him going to a land locked state. He needs to find the other heir in the line of succession and bring her home. She doesn’t realize she’s a princess and he needs to break this to her gently.

Rod heads to Kansas to find Valerie Dumere and bring her to her inheritance. Her father was Mer and her mother was a human. However, it has been deemed that she fills a prophecy regarding the Mer kingdom. If she isn’t brought to Atlantis to take her rightful place, the Mer kingdom may cease to exist. She is running her mother’s dream store and mourning her mother’s death. When Rod comes to tell her she’s inherited a nice estate from her father (whom she never met), she’s suspicious and nonplussed. When she finds out she needs a large chunk of cash fast to save her mother’s store, she decides to listen to Rod. She’s hoping to cash her inheritance and save the store.

Totally unaware of what Rod is, Valerie alternates between believing him and going with him and forgetting all about him. Too bad Rod’s already reeling her in. His looks, charm and charisma are a lot for any woman to handle, but Valerie is determined not to fall prey to his charms.

I thought this book had a lot more fun mixed into it than the first book did. While it is part of the series, it truly stands alone and could be read by anyone. In fact, I was a little disappointed that Reel and Erica are only mentioned—they never actually appear in the story. I found that to be a little disconcerting. Other than that personal preference, I loved the whole story. Watching Reel try to live in a totally land-locked area was comedic enough. But when we add the antics of Livingston the seagull in charge of Royal Aviation and a rogue bird named JR into the mix, I laughed until I cried.

The romance sparks throughout the story, but it keeps appearing that the embers of romance will never catch and create a fire. Yet, when it actually begins to happen, the romance and the lovemaking is so hot it was an inferno. Judi Fennell has written another unique look into Atlantis. I love how she makes the Mer so much more human than other authors. She also has thought out the entire under ocean kingdom and so nothing is lacking. She weaves all the elements together so well that I never once doubted Atlantis exists. In fact, I’m looking forward to a trip to the beach this winter. I’m hoping to spot a Mer of my own!

BookLoons Martina Bexte
Valerie Dumere doesn’t have a clue that she’s half human/ half Mer and that her destiny lies far below the azure waves that hide the mythical kingdom of Atlantis. No, she’s far more practical-minded and dedicated to settling down and making sure that the business left to her by her mother succeeds. But all her plans are thrown for a really big loop when a drop dread gorgeous hunk shows up on her doorstep insisting that she has much more important responsibilities elsewhere.

Rod Tritone, heir to the very real Kingdom of Atlantis and tasked to find his landlubber mate or lose the throne, isn’t about to let this half human, half Mer female shoo him away. He has a responsibility to both his family and his people to complete his mission and return home with his future Queen. Val isn’t making his mission easy; she thinks he’s a nut job, refusing to listen to a word he says. But he could be very persuasive in more ways than one. It’s not until her life, and then Rod’s, are at risk that Valerie finally realises that maybe Rod isn’t some crazy person, after all. Now all the pair have to do is make it back to Atlantis alive.

There are plenty of amusing, pun-loaded exchanges between the very sceptical and grounded Val and the persistent and sexy Rod as they continually clash over who’s right and who’s wrong. Readers should also get a real chuckle out of Livingston, the smart-alecky seagull (and Chief of Aerial Security) who’s tasked to keep the heir to Mer’s throne safe.

Wild Blue Under is a fun, sassy, imaginative and sweetly romantic second instalment to Fennel’s underwater adult fairy tale as well as a refreshing change for readers who might find themselves weary of vampires, werewolves and fallen angels.

Star-Crossed Romance Lynda K. Scott
Wild Blue Under is the second book in Judi Fennell’s fantastic series with the hottie Mer prince, Rod Tritone, coming ashore to find love. Not that he was looking for love in Kansas. No, he was there on Council business – to bring back half-Mer Valerie Dumere and satisfy the Prophecy ‘to find that which is lost’. Valerie is convinced that she’s allergic to salt water, ie the ocean. And she’s not going anywhere near the ocean. That’s why she has her nautical gift shop located in the middle of Kansas.

But the gift shop is broke and she desperately needs the inheritance Rod promises her to keep it going. So, with a great deal of trepidation, Valerie sets off with Rod and a most peculiar seagull, toward the east coast.

Neither of them realize that forces have combined to keep them, especially Rod, away from the ocean though it becomes obvious that something is happening as Valerie’s car is pelted with fish and assorted ‘guided missiles’ from the air. When they finally make it to the ocean, Rod faces another, even greater, problem. He’s fallen in love with a woman who’s afraid of the sea.

Wild Blue Under is even better than the delightful In Over Her Head. The situations are both comical, endearing and heart pounding as Rod and Valerie travel the width of the United States and in doing so, learn to love each other. Ms. Fennell has created a believable and imaginative world of eco-friendly Mer people and sentient animal and avian life, but she’s also explored the question – How far will you go to keep the love of your life?

Rod and Valerie will answer that question for you.

Make sure you read the book to discover the answer.

Bitten By Books
Valerie Dumere has always felt like something was missing in her life. Searching for that missing “something” has led her to places all over the country and numerous jobs, but she has never felt complete. After her mother dies, she returns to her childhood home in Kansas, determined to settle down and take over her mother’s ocean-themed knick knack shop. When a gorgeous stranger shows up at her door claiming that she is the heir to her deadbeat dad’s estate, Valerie wants nothing to do with him or anything related to her father. But she is forced to reconsider when it looks like she may lose the store.

Rod Tritone is the heir to the throne of Atlantis. When the gods decide to send him on a mission to retrieve “that which is lost,” he accepts. Rod has always followed orders since breaking the rules once in his childhood cost his brother the gift of immortality. Besides, how hard could bringing a hybrid (half human/half mer) to the Council be? Rod never figured on wild, headstrong Valerie Dumere or the strong attraction he would feel. He also never dreamed that someone would not want him to make it back to Atlantis alive.

The adventures of the Tritone family that began with In Over Her Head continue in this fast-paced and exciting sequel. Judi Fennell’s stories can be described as “Disney for adults”. With fish and birds that talk and lots of sea-isms interjected by the main characters (for example “that night had been spent on fins and needlefish”), it is entertaining and humorous but definitely not PG. As I began reading, I was thinking that my daughter would love it but once I hit the first love scene, I changed my mind. Hot and steamy does not even begin to describe it folks. Wild Blue Under has it all: adventure, romance, comedy, passion and fabulous characters that you will fall in love with. I am thrilled to report that the Tritone family saga will continue with Catch of a Lifetime. This reviewer has completely fallen for the Tritones – hook, line and sinker!

Poisoned Rationality Alexandra Cenni
All I should really need to say is: There are Mer people having a wicked car chase running away from a homicidal mercenary Albatross with a talking seagull giving defensive tactics. That has got to catch your attention. Okay okay I’ll give a real review...

Its not really an exaggeration to say I adored the first book, In Over Her Head about Rod’s younger twin brother Reel and his love o’life Erica and eagerly looked forward to what adventures the stick in the mud Rod could get into while getting his own love o’life. Mer people are one of those devices in fiction that catch my attention pretty quickly. Hot Mer Men with ironic names, pop culture references with a distinctly Mer people twist, snarky fish, belligerent seagulls...honestly I can go on like this forever.

Rod, who in the first book was an all around stiff-necked goody-goody, shows an entirely different side this time around. While not as carefree as his twin, he relaxes to the point where he made a joke of the situation and it was funny. We learn a little more about why he was so adament about Reel staying Under the Sea—overwhelming and misplaced guilt being a big factor—as well as what is was like for him as the Heir. It wasn’t all bubbles and kelp wraps that’s for sure.

Valerie is different from Erica in that not only does she technically belong to the underwater kingdom to begin with, but she also rejects it for the better part of the book. Her reasoning behind it is a little iffy—the whole deal with the mother and father that is—and could have done with a bit more fleshing out though. She’s a spitfire though, and once the ball gets moving she digs her feet in and she goes with it as much as possible. Not without calling herself insane the entire time, but she at least rolls with it.

The sparks are immediate for Rod and Valerie, and Rod is certainly rather funny. Unlike Reel, who didn’t fight his attraction for Erica at all, Rod tells himself, repeatedly, that its just not possible. Or its something in the air. Or the fact her shell-fillers are filled out nicely. He comes up with some pretty creative excuses for his attraction. Valerie on the other hand has to constantly catch herself because she spends a lot of time with her mind wandering off to wicked ways they could be enjoying their time together.

Livingston, yes he’s a seagull and yes that name is rather ironic, is an entertaining side companion. He spends a lot of time ribbing Rod for his attraction to Valerie or almost breaking some pretty confidential secrets (or urging Rod to do it). Several characters from the first book make re-appearances. Fisher (Rod and Reel’s father), their mother and their younger sister Angel (who has her own book due out in Feb, Catch of a Lifetime). Drake, who I ’m guessing will be the main focal bad guy in the third book as well, also makes a reappearance and is just as nasty as before.

We spend a bit more time with Charley in his role as messenger between the Gods above and the Mer Folk. And we see Fisher not really learning from his mistakes.

So to conclude—great second book, I love Rod (though not as much as Reel) and I’m eager for book 3!

Starting Fresh Gaby Lupus
The second in Judi Fennell’s unusual romance series, Wild Blue Under introduces us to Rod Tritone, a prince of Atlantis. Rod Tritone is given the difficult task of finding a distant relative Valerie Dumere and convincing her to accept her unique inheritance, the governorship of the Southern Ocean. All he has to do is bring her to the ocean or the sea, one drop of seawater will cause Valerie to grow her mermaid tail. Having lived his entire life in Atlantis, Rod Tritone’s vocabulary and experience centers around ocean references, but he can make himself understood. Rod’s hadn’t expected Valerie Dumere to be disinterested in her inheritance and to have an irrational fear of the sea. But Rod doesn’t let these hurdles keep him from his task. When Rod and Valerie travel to the ocean and enlist the help of nearby sea creatures, they face and surmount unexpected dangers together.

Wild Blue Under is a whimsical and witty read. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a light and humorous romance.

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Trade Paper Specfications

• Length: 6.88 in
• Width: 4.19 in
• Height: 0.00 in
• Weight: 7.00 oz
• Page Count: 384 pages