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I won this book through a contest on author Laura Anne Gilman's blog (Anna Leonard is her nom de plume for romances).[return][return]Beth Havelock feels the call of the sea like an itch across her skin. When a handsome stranger washes up naked on the beach, her curiosity is piqued-along with something much deeper, something much more terrifying. Little does she know that this stranger, Dylan, is a selkie, a seal-kin, and he's there because of Beth's almost-magical draw. They are destined to be mates--if they can survive that long. There are others who search for the seal-kin with very dark intentions, and now Dylan is a target... and so is Beth.[return][return]I read very few romances a year, but I was very happy to acquire this one. I love, love, love selkies. Gilman's take here was quite interesting and worked for the plot. Dylan and Beth had incredible chemistry before they even met. They also defied many of the old romance stereotypes; Dylan was handsome, but he was by no means a fighter, whereas Beth could be quite a spitfire. The sex scenes were quite hot and well-written. I've never been to the setting, Nantucket, but her descriptions were vivid. I could see and smell the sea--and laugh at the residents' disdain for tourists.[return][return]Two negatives, though: I didn't like that Beth was in a relationship and didn't break it off formally. It was made clear it wasn't much of a relationship, but still. Secondly, a deus ex machina comes into play during a big confrontation with the bad guys and well... it was a handy-dandy plot device, and came out of nowhere and went away just as fast. Otherwise, I liked the ending and how Beth's painful decision was handled.[return][return]That said, this was an enjoyable read. Great romance, and featured one of my favorite mythical creatures. Selkies don't get enough love, and here they get some very nice lovin'.