Pre-order year of the mer
This debut dark adult reimagining of The Little Mermaid is forthcoming from Saga Press April 7, 2026.
Ixia was once an idyllic nation, rich in its lore, its landscape shaped by the antics of adventurous and romantic old gods. But it has been transformed and modernized rapidly by war and the technology men wield is the new magic. Two generations after the union of a mermaid princess and a human prince, both kingdoms have paid heavy prices. Yemaya Blackgate, their clever, angry granddaughter, is next in line to rule on land in a time when her kingdom’s people are questioning their continued need for a monarchy or a belief in the divine. Ennova Grey, Yemaya’s guardian and future wife struggles to be everything Yemaya needs when they are faced with a plot against the family and the looming death of the Queen. The sea witch Ursla, herself a discarded god, seems to lie in wait. When Yemi and Nova are forced into exile and Yemi chooses to seek out a deal with the sea witch, can their relationship survive the monster she is destined to become?
The Year of the Mer duology is a sapphic tragedy that examines generational trauma and identity in a shifting world. It asks what becomes of the beings we exalt and then discard? And does a sea witch ever truly bide her time?
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A dark, bloody epic fantasy reimagining of The Little Mermaid that goes far beyond the fairy tale to explore family legacy, war, and what we will sacrifice for vengeance—the perfect read for fans of The Priory of the Orange Tree and Circe.
The fairy tale mermaid Arielle might have gotten her happily-ever-after, but her granddaughter Yemi is having a much harder time. Her father, the king of Ixia, was assassinated years ago, her mother is slowly dying of a poisoned wound, and she faces whispers and slights from her own people. Yemi has been raised as the shield of the kingdom and is soon to inherit the throne, but she cannot shake her fury at how Ixia has treated her family after all they’ve sacrificed. Only her patient mother and steadfast personal bodyguard (and fiancée), Nova, help Yemi rein in that fury...most of the time.
When the kingdom’s discontented rumblings reach a fever pitch, a coup erupts and Yemi’s throne is usurped, stripping her of her family and forcing her into exile. Now, only one being has the power to help her: Ursla.
Like her grandmother before her, Yemi is tempted by a deal with the sea-witch. With powerful and ancient magic behind her, Yemi could avenge her family, take back her throne, and protect the love of her life. But she should know more than anyone that there is always a price. As much as Yemi wants vengeance, Ursla has been waiting a very, very long time for her own—and it may take more fortune than Yemi possesses to keep her from losing everything all over again. -
Publisher: S&S/Saga Press (April 7, 2026)
Length: 368 pages
ISBN13: 9781668060957
“Intricate, compelling, and exhilarating, YEAR OF THE MER is everything I want and more in a sapphic continuation of The Little Mermaid. Lewis crafts a maelstrom of familial love, ancestral hurt, and alluring magic in a world where instead of happily ever after, true love’s kiss sparked political conflict for generations to come.
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“A phenomenal book that is as transformational as much as it transports. L.D. Lewis solidifies herself as a master of story and character, with no punches pulled, and many thrown in YEAR OF THE MER. A book that kept me up night after night, whose turns left me in wonder with every surprise twist of phrase. Lewis knows how to keep the reader engaged, and how the ebbs and flow of tension should sink the reader into story.
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“Much like the sea, there are depths to L. D.’s writing that can’t be fathomed. You will walk away from THE YEAR OF THE MER heartbroken, pondering the nature of power and desperately ready for more. L. D.’s a true talent that deserves a generational audience. Be here at Yemi’s beginning.”
