The Republic of Love is a romance, first and foremost, but these are unlikely lovers; Tom Avery, 40, a late-night radio show host is three times divorced, much to his chagrin, while Fay McLeod, 35, a folklorist studying mermaids, is single, unable to commit to a relationship and unsatisfied with her long string of more or less acceptable partners. Both are lonely and weary of looking for "the real thing," and both find solace of a sort in their work: Fay works at the National Center for Folklore Studies where she has numerous friends looking out for her.

Her typical day is described as mornings for public tours and afternoons for "her mermaids." Tom is the host of a late night radio show with a large listening audience of oddballs and insomniacs.

Both Fay and Tom seek a union that does not smother the independence they have gained...