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The Last Mermaid is Shana Abe in pre-Drakon mode, writing a dual-timeline romance with one strand following a contemporary marine archaeologist and another following a medieval Scottish woman who may or may not have actually been a mermaid. Abe's prose is lyrical in the way her Drakon series fans know, and the medieval sections are particularly well-handled.
The contemporary romance follows the genre rules pleasantly. The medieval/mythical sections are the more interesting half of the book, and the closing chapters bring the two timelines into useful contact.
Three stars. Recommended to readers who enjoy Susanna Kearsley-style dual-timeline historical romance. Not Abe's most distinctive work but a perfectly pleasant read.
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