Beneath the Waves

Vivien Palmer and her brother Frankie meet a young girl on the beach when they are kids. They remember the brief encounter always but no-one believed it happened as the girl disappeared back into the sea, with sharks accompanying her. Vivien and Frankie are heirs to an oil company and much is expected of them.

The girl from the sea, Kai, is an Atlantean and heir to the throne of her realm. When they meet again as adults an instant connection is felt between Vivien and Kai and they are drawn to each other, craving each other. As they try to save the oil company and the environment together they find themselves and their families in huge danger.

When I started reading this book I wasn’t at all sure I was going to like it, as it went between the very formal Atlantean realm and a very modern setting with contemporary language. As the story went on though I found myself immersed in both worlds. The premise of an ancient but much advanced Atlantean race under the sea was brilliantly constructed, with an all female world and an ability to procreate without men. It was skilfully written and the imagination that went into it was fantastic. The modern world on land, with big business, environmental worries and a hateful creepy male suitor in the guise of Steve was well thought out and oh so real.

The author managed to insert a real fear and menace into the story and had me totally engrossed. The love story between Vivien and Kai was slow burning but beautifully pitched. Kai had so many secrets that she could not share with Vivien as her world was at stake, but as they fell in love and the bond between them became so vital, she had no choice but to open herself totally. The love scenes were tender and loving but also very hot. I loved this book and it gave so much more than I expected. A wonderful passionate love story with a great mystery.

A remarkable book that weaves fantasy and folk lore with just a little reality to create a really memorable tale. The characters were interesting and likable individuals. Enough background was given on each woman and her family to familiarize the reader and make them understand where they were coming from.

The love interest between the two leading women was slowly and tenderly portrayed. The plot that was gradually exposed was interesting and in keeping with both of the womens backgrounds and personalities. As in all good stories good overcame evil and our hero survived to live and love. The ending, although predictable, was fitting and satisfying.

I really enjoyed the storyline in this book. Farfetched? Sure. Entertaining? Definitely. A new and interesting take on the legend of Atlantis, it was fun to read. Kai definitely has that otherworldly Alpha thing going on, and Vivien is no nonsense but troubled due to a childhood encounter. Vivien battles against her parents, who feel they know what's best for her and are pressuring her to fall in line. Her only bastion against this pressure is her brother, Frankie. The two support each other completely.

When Kai appears on the scene, she becomes another lodestone for Vivien, even though Vivien isn't sure why she's attracted to Kai. Things seem hopeless as far as their future goes, but Kai is unable to stop herself from getting involved with Vivien.

The underlying cause for the events in this book was rather surprising, and the resolution was intriguing. The resolution of Vivien and Kai's future is a good ride as well. I recommend the book to anyone who wants a little paranormal fantasy with their romance - especially a little fantasy that is different from the usual paranormal fare. It definitely kept me turning pages.

Reviewed by Inked Rainbow Reads

I loved this book! From start to finish i!was completely enthralled. The characters and storyline are wonderfully written. I did not want this book to end. Very highly recommended.

Reviewed by Michelle Nash

Although I am in real life quite afraid of the sea and prefer to stay out of it, I think the best part of Beneath the Waves is the setting. We spend a lot of time in the water, on a boat, on an oil rig, in a city on the bottom of the sea, and I loved this closeness to it a lot. It’s fascinating as long as I can read about it and don’t have to experience it myself, it seems ;-)

In Beneath the Waves Ali Vali tells the love story of Kai Merlin and Vivian Palmer, two women whose fates have been intertwined since they were children. Kai Merlin is heir to a secret alien race who lives in Atlantis, a city, as the legend says, hidden from humankind, somewhere in the depths of the sea. The whole population is female because they once upon a time left their male counterparts back in space. The women mate for life and are even able to procreate. Vivian Palmer is the daughter of an oil baron and is meant to one day take over the business together with her brother Franklin, with whom she shares a deep bond. But lately she feels pressured into this role and into marriage by her parents and isn’t happy about it at all. I liked that she is a strong character who stands up to her parents and is very independent. She’s no pushover and gets what she wants without being bratty.

Kai’s and Vivian’s paths cross again when Kai - as part of her education - starts to work for Vivian’s father in order to sway him in a more ecological direction. I really liked how the book shows that the world can live without neither oil nor the sea and tries to find a compromise. When Vivian and Frankie were young kids playing on the beach, Kai, a girl herself then, felt compelled to talk to them, but soon after vanished back into the sea. For reasons I don’t want to go into here, this encounter had a huge impact on Vivian’s and Frankie’s lives.

Well, since this is a romance, it’s not surprising that, meeting again, Kai and Vivian are drawn together. I liked both women because they are interesting and strong female characters. Their push and pull and their flirting is lovely and charming. Once they get together, they are a bit too sappy for my taste, however. The few sexytimes are hot but also very emotional. Apart from Kai and Vivian there are several more characters who play an important role and I liked the larger cast as I don’t think it took away from the romance but helped with a natural plot development...

Apart from the romance, intrigue and action surrounding the oil business and the alien race play a huge role and define the pace of the story....

To summarize I had a good time reading Beneath the Waves and I recommend it when you’re looking for strong female leads with a lovely romance and a unique fantasy setting...

Reviewed by Melanie Faber

Wow I couldn't put the book down what a great story.

Reviewed by Alicia DeLoatch