Title: Daughter of the Sea

Author: Kathleen Givens

In: The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance (Trisha Telep)

Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)

My Bookshelves: Celtic, Fae, Fantasy, Romance

Pace: Medium

Format: Short story

Publisher: Running Press

Year: 2010

5th sentence, 74th page: The Queen stood nearby, draped in a long dark cloak, her face pale.

Muirin and Conlan are meant for each other, but her evil stepmother stands in the way. Will Muirin be able to overcome all the obstacles in front of them and finally claim her one true love?

This is such a fun, typical Irish romance story. Alright, it’s a lot shorter than many of the tales that I generally read based in this world. And I enjoyed it just as much as I enjoy every single one of these tales. My background is all based in the UK, and there is something that has always drawn me to Irish and Celtic tales.

Muirin and Conlan are such a sweet couple. And from the very beginning of this tale, it is obvious that there is going to be a very large obstacle put in the way of their love and eventual marriage. And because this is in a collection of romance tales, it is equally obvious that they are going to overcome. That doesn’t mean that it isn’t thoroughly enjoyable. And even after her three tasks are laid out in front of her, it isn’t quite obvious just how these obstacles will be overcome. And it is in this that the journey is fun.

I read this just before curling up for bed, and it was a great way to end the night. I got this beautiful little tale of love and Irish folklore while my partner slumbered next to me. And the combination was pleasant and fun. It also lead to some of the more peaceful and pleasant dreams that I’ve had in a while.

Image source: Goodreads