Better than average teenage romance due to the added twists of Alzheimers, reverse racism and family dramas.
Mika is in her final year of school and works in a pet shop over the Summer holidays. On the same day as the owner introduces her to his nephew Dylan who will also be working there over the Summer due to "family issues"; her paternal grandmother Betty turns up unannounced in the beginning stages of Alzheimers. This in itself is monumental as her father hasn't spoken to his mother since she disowned him for marrying Mika's Japanese mother 20 years ago.
So Mika's plans to work at the Monterey Aquarium with her marine biologist parents are thrown into chaos, and she now spends her mornings at the pet shop trying to make Dylan into a decent human being and her afternoons babysitting a grandmother who is racist and slowly going insane!
To top this off, her best friend Shreya's Indian parents have kicked her favorite brother Pavan out of home for becoming engaged to a white girl, and when Shreya dares to visit him, she is also disowned and has to move in with Mika.
Couple all this with the revelation that Dylan is the quintessential super wealthy bad boy who stole his father's company credit card and threw a $5 million party in the Iron Man house.(He flew everyone in his school to the party!)
This story twists and turns as family secrets are revealed and Mika learns some home truths about her expectations of other people and her need to be "in control". Oh and there is the bitchy Ex girlfriend of Dylan, London and the "pretend date " from hell to endure....
Funny and sad; a book that girls will LOVE. Has one sex scene and a few minor swear words. ( )

3.5 stars

I loved the front cover of this book and, although, "Fish Out of Water" was basically an airy, summer romance it did deal with a number of serious issues including the effects of Alzheimer's, prejudices, racial customs and the choice between excessive wealth and happiness. Mika often annoyed me. She was self-centred, uncaring to her friends and opinionated. However, Dylan was a sweetie and extremely tolerant of Mika. I also liked the relationship that developed between Mika and her grandmother and all the references to fish was cute. ( )