MISTRESS OF THE WATERS by Janeen O'Kerry
is set against an ancient Irish backdrop on the isle
of Abhainn Aille. When
Shannon Rose
accepts a place on the Renaissance Faire committee of her university
she has no idea that her life in about to take a major turn.
Lasarian is the nephew of the King. He's chosen the life of
a bard over that of a warrior but he doesn't take it seriously,
as he chooses to spend his days in the company of the local
girls instead. Annoyed, his father and uncle send Lasarian away
for the summer as a cowherd in the hopes that Lasarian will
being to take his life of privilege seriously. MISTRESS OF THE
WATERS is O'Kerry's third published novel and the first in a
series of seven called "Celtic Journeys".
Shannon Rose Gray is just weeks from graduation
and being able to fulfill her dreams of moving to Ireland
to teach Irish. Her life takes a different path when she accepts
a position on her university's Renaissance Faire committee.
Shannon Rose is to research the history and practices that
surround May Day, Ireland's Beltane, and the significance
of the May Pole. When she makes an error in calculating when
to cut the sacred Hawthorn tree she finds herself whisked
into ancient Ireland and into the arms of a man the Beltane
fires make her husband. This certain isn't what Shannon Rose
had in mind after graduation, and neither is living on a run
down man made island and tending cows, but she adjusts to
the easy lifestyle and begins to fall in love with her husband.
When Lasarian finds himself married to Abhainn
Aille's mysterious newcomer he couldn't be more pleased. Not
only did she lay with him at the Beltane fires but he now
has a lusty companion for the long lonely night during cowherd
season. Suddenly his fathers and uncles punishment doesn't
look so bad. Lasarian is about to learn a great life lesson
though. Shannon Rose's love of him brings out feelings that
he has no idea exist. Life with her in the solitude of their
man made island, tending cows by day and loving each other
by night, gives him a greater understanding of what it means
to be alive. But when he returns after his summer tending
cows Lasarian finds himself slipping back into his old self.
When Shannon Rose discovers his wife it's then that Lasarian
comes to terms with what he's dong to those he loves with
his capricious ways. Shannon Rose has found the way back to
her time and he must now decide to stay in his time or to
go with Shannon to hers.
MISTRESS OF THE WATERS is a quick read and
Irish details are mostly accurate. While the pacing was very
well written I couldn't get around weak characters. Shannon
Rose seems unaffected by the time travel, never wonders about
the parents she left behind, and is happy to let a strange
man make love to her then take her away to a strange island
for the summer.
Lasarian comes across as a lazy fop caring
for nothing but his harp and the tending of his nails. He
lies to Shannon Rose at every turn, so much so that even when
he tells her that he loves her I was wondering if he was telling
her the truth or still leading her on. It's when they return
to Abhainn Aille that Shannon Rose discovers Lasarian's wife,
and the local girls who begin to dominate his days once more.
When she finally speaks her mind Lasarian still expects Shannon
Rose to believe in his love for her and stay on as a second
wife.
While I appreciated the accuracy of most of the
Irish details and the pronunciation guide to the smattering
of Irish words used throughout the story I found it difficult
to enjoy any of them because I kept hoping that Shannon Rose
would find her backbone before the end of the story. This story
has great potential but unfortunately it seemed to have been
rushed through right to the end. O'Kerry has the meat of a great
story but weak characters cause this story fall short of a memorable
tale.
