selkies,Amazon received

Two Minute Review for "Sea Fever" by Virginia Kantra

Another in the Children of the Sea Series. You can really get the single motherhood thing reading Regina's story. You get a sense of what you have to give up, bad choices, things you miss ect. Dylan is a baby in comparison, stunted by other peoples choice, trying to make strides in his personal growth. The people are what is good about the story. The sex is good too. The plot seems thin. There were no plot twists you didn't see coming a mile away. However, I enjoyed it quite a bit. ( )

Last year I read and enjoyed Virginia Kantra's Sea Witch, the first book in her Children of the Sea trilogy. Having enjoyed a new take on the paranormal and wanting more, I dived right in the the second book, Sea Fever, and hit an instant road block. My dislike of the hero, Dylan made it impossible for me to enjoy the story up to the point that I had read it. After sitting the book aside and returning to it at a later date, I can say that things do get better further along in the book, but not enough for me to get over the first half.

Regina is a single mother who spends her days working an unfulfilled job as a cook in her mother's restaurant on the island of World's End and her nights with her young son. She doesn't hold out much hope for marriage especially when Caleb, the last eligible bachelor on their tiny island, marries another woman. While at Caleb's wedding, a drunk Regina stumbles upon Caleb's brother, Dylan.

Dylan has returned to World's End after disappearing from the island years ago with his mother. The reason behind his disappearance is a mystery to the island, as well as his reappearance, but Dylan knows that he left because he found out the truth about his mother being a selkie and that he was one too. He came back to help Caleb and Margred (the selkie who Caleb had fallen in love with) battle a demon, and stuck around for their wedding where he runs into Regina. There is an instant lustful attraction between Regina and Dylan and they consummate right there on the beach in what's supposed to be nothing more than a fling. But they both have a surprise in store for them that threatens to shift the balance of good and evil forever.

Like I stated previously, I had a few problems with the story in the beginning, namely Dylan. He's lived most of his life in the world of the selkies, they are known for being loners and not needing or wanting the trappings of any emotional relationship. Because of this, Dylan is insensitive, making it hard to connect with his character for a least one half of the book. The second half reads a bit better and Dylan shows some redeeming qualities, but not enough for me to really like him. He is standoffish to his younger sister, Lucy, not even taking the time to get to know her. In Sea Witch he was a jerk to Caleb, and by the end of Sea Fever he hasn't made amends there. I do wonder if his non-action with his siblings is working toward something greater? There is one more book in this trilogy so maybe things come full circle by then.

I did like Regina. Her trust issues with men play a part in this story and rightly so. Her father abandoned her as a child and the father of her son, has never accepted responsibility for him. She's not sure that Dylan, with him being called to the sea and the life of an immortal, could be what she really needs in a man. Though I liked Regina, I can't say that I liked every aspect of her story. First, the father of her son is a big time chef, the fact that he's not taking financial responsibility for their son is ludicrous. Second, Regina's mother makes a big revelation to her and Regina's reaction seemed out of place considering what she finds out. Not only that, but the revelation seems as though it is put there to help Regina make a decision as to whether or not go with Dylan to the Sanctuary, and in the end that part of the story is never touched on again. On top of everything else there is also the issue of Regina's career as a chef. She isn't happy working for her mother, she wants to do her own thing, but besides a gig she takes here and there, she's stuck in the kitchen of her mother's restaurant.

So, I had some problems with this one. Sea Fever was not the story I had hoped for after reading Sea Witch. I never got Dylan and I didn't like the way that Regina's past issues were never dealt with along with a few other questions that were raised and never answered concerning Caleb and Margred. I do hope that these issues are worked out - it seems very wrong to leave things where they stand - and there is resolution in the final book of this trilogy, Sea Lord. ( )

There's always a danger with reading books in a series back to back, but this book was actually better (IMHO) than the first in the series, Sea Witch). Here Caleb's mysterious and conflicted brother, Dylan, meets the very human Regina, adult daughter of the local restarant owner and cook. I liked this book better because I could relate the the characters better, and I really liked Regina, who felt very 3 dimensional, loving struggling single mother with an overpowering mother of her own to deal with. I liked her interactions with Dylan and how the relationship resolved. I'm sorry I have to wait till May 09 for the next book! ( )

Very nice. I enjoyed "Sea Fever" more than Virginia Kantra's first book in the 'Children of the Sea' series. This story has more fire, more excitement, and much more interesting characters (to me). The hero of this book is a cynical selkie (say that three times fast) who has convinced himself that love and caring only leads to heartache. Reading about his reform, almost against his will, was very satisfying!

Dylan is the brother of Caleb the hero from "Sea Witch". When Dylan was 13 he had his first change to his selkie form. This led to him finding his mother's skin and she promptly took Dylan and left her mortal son, daughter, and husband. She and Dylan went to the selkie realm and she was killed after being trapped in a fishing net less than a year later. So Dylan has only seen the pain that caring and love brings and prefers to live the light-hearted and nomadic life of a selkie. He can't believe Margred (selkie heroine of the first book) gave up life as a selkie for 'love' of his brother and now lives as a fragile human. He secretly shows up at their wedding and quickly seduces the caterer who catches his eye, then disappears back to the water. When his prince asks him to return to his brother's island because of a worrisome demon presence, he's at first reluctant. Then he realizes he can see the beautiful caterer he can't quite forget. And won't that be the perfect cover?

Regina can't believe her life is such a cliche. The only time she 'escaped' from life on the small island, she ended up and unwed mother and returned home. She figures it must be a family thing since her mother raised her alone too, so no men. She'd rather her son life without a father then involve him with a man who 'won't stick'. So when she runs into Dylan while taking a break at a wedding and is instantly attracted, she very leery. Then Dylan says he won't be back and she figures what the heck...at least she won't have to worry about a relationship afterward. Then it's deja vu all over again (HAH) after she turns up pregnant! Now the father of her child has shown up claiming to be not quite human, and he tells her there's a demon after her unborn child. Will sombody please wake her up?

Dylan has all the fire I didn't feel from Margred in the first book. His gradual change and his confusion regarding his feelings is extremely well done. The suspense is much better and I found the sex a bit hotter too. If you read the first book, you need to go get this one NOW. If you didn't, you'll probably want to once you read this one. Unfortunately, we'll have another 10 months to wait for the next book, "Sea Lord", which doesn't come out until May 2009 :( ( )