A review by enchantingreads_rosyreviews
Rose Moon by Heidi Adams

emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

How do I even begin to talk about how much I liked this book? Do I talk about the characters & how much I loved their development? I mean, we follow our MMC across a decade, falling in love, focusing on his mental health, coming into his own as an adult & dealing with hard blows life throws his way. While the FMC is a mermaid dealing with an entire world’s worth of history & navigating the human world with her love. Or I could talk about how easy this book was to read because of the author’s writing. It’s true. Heidi’s writing felt cozy, yet explorative of emotional depth while navigating the formative years of the MMC & introducing the reader to the paranormal elements of another world. Toggling between the modern world & the mermaid one is challenging, but she did it beautifully. So yeah, I really liked every interconnected part of this book & how the paranormal world was brought into our modern one!

"We’re the only ones left out on the rocks, but I wouldn’t care if we were in the middle of a crowd. I’m kissing the one I love without restraint as my soul opens, and nothing in the world exists but us. I cup her face as I stop my kiss. 'I need you to know I love you, no matter what form you’re in. I love you for you. You never need to worry about that.'”

This book is unlike anything I've read, yet, it still feels familiar. Like watching an episode you haven't yet seen of a series you love; the story feels like a fresh, new take on this genre. I haven't read a lot of paranormal romance since becoming a reader again, but as a millennial, Twilight was my jam in high school. This story gives off similar vibes: a cozy small town (this one is in Maine), paranormal creatures living in the modern world (this one has mermaids), a complicated history in the paranormal world (instead of the Volturi storyline, there's a different conflict in the mermaid world, but I won't spoil it), and a love story is at the center of it all (but this first story covers 10 years of Karter's life instead of just his high school years... and there may or may not be a complicated love story thrown in there too 😉).

"'You’re part of me. Not just because of how in love with you I am, but because you are literally part of me. I need you to breathe—to function.'"

Heidi has also put emotions at the driving force of the narrative, which immediately raises the stakes. When you're acting out of love, sorrow, anxiety, and/or depression, your actions & their implications are more significant. And, because she's amazing, Heidi has given us an immersive playlist to go along with the story, which makes it more emotional. As I read, I listened to the relevant songs (Heidi gives us cues as to when each song applies to specific scenes... but to avoid too many spoilers, only read the next cue, don't read the entire detailed list ahead of time), & it made the whole experience more cinematic. If your brain plays constant music as mine does, then I highly recommend reading the story this way! I absolutely loved this experience! 
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