#Review | The Colour Of Mermaids by Catherine Curzon and Eleanor Harkstead #TheColourOfMermaids @e_harkstead @MadameGilflurt

Hello Sunshines! I am super excited to be sharing my review of this breathtaking book; The Colour of Mermaids by Catherine Curzon and Eleanor Harkstead. Before I start with this review, I wish to take a moment to say just say something…

Over the last month or so I have really struggled with keeping motivated and my focus on reading, which for someone who loves reading, who finds so much joy in books and has always used books as an escape from the real world; that slump made me really sad. I blame too much time on social media mixed with obsessively watching the chaos on the news, it all got a bit much. But even so, I can’t even express how depressing it was not being able to enjoy a book! Then I started this and I have to say that this became a balm, I was gripped from the first chapter and by the end, I felt as though a weight had been lifted, but more than that; I re-found my love of reading again. So a massive thank you to Catherine and Eleanor for reminding me, without knowing it; how much I love reading! xx

So, grab that cuppa, sit back and enjoy the book that gave me the kick up the rear and gave me back my mojo!

In a world of childhood secrets and tabloid scandals, is falling for the bad boy of British art as risky as it is raunchy?

When artist Eva Catesby is invited to an exhibition in honour of the art world enfant terrible Daniel Scott, she’s expected to follow the crowd and sing his praises. Instead, she tells him what she really thinks and sparks fly. As they plunge headlong into a wild affair, Eva becomes the target of unwanted attention from an unseen enemy.

Daniel Scott is famous for his paintings. Filled with darkness and tormented imagery, his canvases are as mysterious as his background. Until he meets Eva, Daniel is a stranger to criticism and doesn’t know what it means to fall in love.

Can Eva help Daniel overcome his childhood demons or will a fatal secret from the past destroy their future?

Reader advisory: This book contains scenes of drug use/abuse, mental illness, depression, stalking and sexual assault. There is mention of suicide, child abuse, rape, murder and non-romanticised brother-sister incest.

Review

How much do I love this book?! Let me count the ways….honestly, I’m already waxing lyrical, you can see how this review is going to go, can’t you? But once you have read this book you will all understand my excitement and inability to actually string two legible words together that don’t consist of ‘OMGs, I love it’ and various swooning gif’s…

I will just say the one thing then, should I?…

Perfect!!!

Absolutely and utterly heart-stopping, powerful and emotionally wrenching, intoxicatingly gripping, romantic and brilliantly thrilling; perfection!!

Will that do?

Plus, I was so wrapped up in this book I let many cups of tea go cold (shock and horror!!!) and the dog ate my shortbread, but was I bothered when I was so immersed in this glorious book? Not on your nelly!!

When Eva Catesby is invited to the exclusive exhibition for the world-renowned, the bad boy of the art world; Daniel Scott, a man as dark and mysterious as that of his all-black attire and bleakly sinister paintings. Unlike the throng of people who have turned up to pour more praise on to the already inflated head of the ‘enfant terrible‘, Eva tells it how it is, she holds nothing back and she doesn’t believe in shading the great artist from criticism if it will help him make even greater work.

Eva is a fabulous character, she is so passionate; about her work as an artist and especially about her work with a group of underprivileged kids, who she is trying to help with art. Even though she comes from a well-to-do family she really wants to help those in worse off circumstances than her and I really admired her for that! She is a kind, caring, talented and compassionate woman.

Daniel has never met anyone like Eva, she is the breath of fresh air he needs in his dark, drug-fuelled existence, he is drawn to her but knows that he can’t allow anything more than a moment of lustful passion to pass between them, as our bad boy isn’t exactly what he appears, there is more to discover about the mysterious sunglasses-wearing Daniel Scott and Eva soon finds that as tempting, handsome, mysterious and talented as he is, there is a more heart-breaking, self-destructive and darker side to her brooding bed mate.

As Eva and Daniel begin their passionate affair, they soon to see their relationship as something other than just sex, they grow closer with each passing day. The more they fall in love and get to know each other, the more dark and hidden secrets are revealed, secrets which may come between our couple but only if Daniel can find the courage to seek the help he needs to move forward from his heart-breaking past.

I do absolutely love this book…I think I have said that already, right? …

As I said it is completely different if you love your edgier, super sexy, darker romances with an added bonus of a thrilling yet eerie stalking subplot which really makes the hairs stand up and you sit back and shiver a little of what Eva experienced.

My heart absolutely broke for Daniel when he reaches the lowest when his depression becomes overbearing for him there is a child-like quality; broken, lost in deep darkness and unable to reach past the heavy cloud that has eclipsed the sunshine. There are a few scenes that are very bleak, heart-wrenching and uncomfortable to read, but they are so brilliantly and expertly written. Talk about emotional; there were moments between Daniel and Eva which left me a sniffling mess, which soon followed by lots of real cliff-hanger of a twist at the end – whoa, I didn’t see that one coming!!

This is easily one of the best that Catherine and Eleanor have written – I do know I sound like a record stuck on repeat as I say that every single time I lay my hands on a new Harkstead/Curzon book, but oh, boy, is this beauty a cracker or what?! I am in complete love with it, I was glued to every single page, it was intoxicating to read, with thrills, romance, secrets and real darkness that had me hooked. Plus it’s super, super sexy and that is just gorgeously complex and heart-breaking Daniel.

You all know that I love a fragile and tormented guy in black, and this man broke me completely, I don’t know if I’ll ever be the same again!

I have always known that Catherine and Eleanor are masters of emotional and witty romance, but this one shows just how impressive their writing is. The way they tackled such deeply sensitive and somewhat taboo subjects such as; depression, mental health illness, drug abuse is impeccable.

Did I mention how much loved this book?… Well I did, I do hope that there will be more stories like this in the pipeline from this marvellous duo!

This was an Arc copy via the authors, which I voluntarily reviewed, thank you, Catherine and Eleanor! Xx

The Colour of Mermaids is released today and can be found at Amazon and I cannot recommend enough that you go and grab this gorgeous book.