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!
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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. ( )

Wild Blue Under, by Judi Fennell, is a fine successor to In Over Her Head and another enjoyable read. I would never have believed that stories of mermaids and mermen could be so intriguing till I started on this series. But Judi’s gentle humor and convincing imagination makes it easy for the reader to suspend disbelief and enjoy the curious ride.

This second novel takes place mostly on land, with the Heir to the throne of Mer undertaking a task to prove his worthiness. But “worth” is more than meets the brain or eye, and I love the way Judi’s inclusion of Olympian gods provides glimpses of eternal questions—why do bad things happen to good people? Why do things go wrong even when we’ve done everything right?

This being a romance, “worth” also includes true love, and there are some truly hilarious scenes (enormously memorable ones too) as hero and heroine drive cross-country while being dive-bombed by wildfowl, struggling all the time to deny their growing attraction to each other. The advent of large quantities of rain and assorted injuries cause the absence of certain garments and well… you can guess where it’s going, but you’d do much better to read. Airports are closed. Seagulls talk (and eat fries). Evil schemers plot and plan to deceive. And it all leads to the learning of fascinating, satisfying lessons, well-taught by those mysterious gods shifting pawns that still exercise free will.

I may even have liked this novel better than Judi’s first book, which bodes well for the third, coming soon—a really fun read. ( )

Had to consign this book to daytime reading only as my bursts of laughter kept waking my husband. This was a delightful story and a non-stop giggle fest. I'll be watching for the next book come February. ( )

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. ( )