I followed this series from the start and I’m happy to keep going. And I loved her post. One of the most nurturing, open, selfish women I have the honor to know is not a mother, but I wished her a great day anyway because of all the things she is. So, yep. I agree 100% with Alice

Mermaids Marry in Green (Sea of Love Book 3) by Alice Renaud released in November in the Paranormal, Romance genre.

Caltha Dooran is the toughest, fiercest shape-shifting mermaid in the western seas. She has three Clans to rule, and no time for romance. But when a warlock, Jonty, turns up and asks her to come with him to London to capture a water monster, she can’t say no. In London, away from her duties, her attraction for Jonty grows… and they soon fall under each other’s spell. But will his past and her responsibilities pull them apart, or can they find the only true magic, the one that binds two souls together?

Universal link: https://books2read.com/u/3LglAN

She was so close to him they were almost touching. She took a step back, but three teenagers squeezed in through the doors just before they closed and pushed her against Jonty. Her head was now level with his neck, and her entire body was pressed against his.

“I’m sorry about the crush,” he said. But he didn’t sound sorry.

She tried to make a joke of it but found that her mouth had dried up. He smelled so damn good. A spicy aftershave, mixed with leather and coffee, with the enticing scent of male sweat underneath. Deep inside her, something responded to the unfamiliar perfume. A part of her, long buried, was waking up … and reaching out to him.

The train jolted into life. The people behind her lurched, squashing them together. Her breasts flattened against his chest. He was rock-hard under his leathers, and as warm as a stone heated by the sun. A thrill ran through her, so strong that it felt almost tangible, like a golden snake twisting around her … curling around her breasts … sliding between her legs. She was trapped and helpless.

Worse, she was enjoying it.

Shame nibbled at her. She’d never been this close to a male before. Plenty of mermen on the islands would have loved to become her mate and govern the Clans with her. Plenty had tried their luck, during the long summer nights when they sat around the fire on the beach, drinking whisky and singing. But she’d never let any of them kiss her, or even hold her hand. She’d been a good mermaid all these years. Just as her mother had wanted her to be. Her mother had been very firm on the topic of boys. She’d drummed into Caltha’s head that she should save herself for a husband worthy of her, and of the Dooran Clan.

And here she was glued to a stranger she’d met less than twenty-four hours ago. A human. Her mother’s voice swam up in her memory. Choose your mate carefully, Caltha. He must be able to guide our people, and rule alongside you. He must be wise, strong, and…

Caltha tried to remember the other qualities that her future husband should possess, but Jonty’s belt buckle was imprinting itself on her stomach, distracting her. Her mind wanted to remember her mother’s words, but her fingers were itching to touch that belt … and slide upwards … under the leather jacket … to find out what his skin felt like … and whether his stomach was as taut as she imagined.

Jonty bent his head, and for one mad moment she thought he was going to kiss her. She was disappointed when he said in her ear, “It’s rush hour, that’s why it’s so crammed. It won’t be long.”

She didn’t look at him, in case her face betrayed her body’s embarrassing, pleasurable reaction. “It’s fine.”

But it wasn’t fine, not by a mile. She had to get away from him before her hormones hijacked her brain and made her do something stupid. Like grab him. Or kiss him.

Bio

Alice lives in London, UK, with her husband and son. By day she’s a compliance manager for a pharmaceutical company. By night she writes fantasy romance about shape shifting mermen, water monsters and time-travelling witches. Her first book, “A Merman’s Choice,” was published in January 2019 by Black Velvet Seductions. It is the first book in the Sea of Love fantasy romance series, inspired by the landscapes and legends of Brittany and Wales. The second and third books, “Music for a Merman,” and “Mermaids Marry in Green,” are out now. Both Mermaids Marry in Green and the Sea of Love series won their categories in the Paranormal Romance Guild Reviewer’s Choice Award. Alice has also contributed short stories for the BVS anthologies “Mystic Desire,” “Desire Me Again,” and “Cowboy Desire,” all available now. Alice loves reading and writing stories, and sharing them with anyone who’s interested!

Mother’s Day or Mothering Sunday?

When Viviana suggested I write a guest blog post on an unpopular opinion of mine, I was very pleased. It’s a bold and original choice! And as my post was scheduled for May, one topic immediately jumped into my mind like an overactive kangaroo. Mother’s Day!

(Whisper it) I’m not a big fan of Mother’s Day (ducks to avoid the flame-throwers, rotten tomatoes, buckets of icy water etc etc)

Why? Do I not like my own mum? Yes I do, very much. She lives in France and I in the UK, so we are rarely physically together on the day (and coronavirus restrictions have put the kibosh on international travel for now), but I never fail to send her a card and call her on the day. And we celebrate Mother’s Day with my mother-in-law, who lives near us. We always do the works: flowers, chocolates, cards, lunch… and I enjoy it very much… because it’s for her, not me.

Because, me personally, I’m not that bothered. Why? Several reasons.

Firstly, the day seems to be a sort of compensation for the hard work the mums put in all year round caring for the kids, doing the housework, the shopping, etc. Have a lie in mum, put your feet up, we’ll bring you breakfast in bed… have a rest, you deserve it!

But I’d feel guilty if I did that. Because my husband is the one who does the bulk of the childcare, the school runs, the shopping, the housework, and so on. He’s a full time dad and homemaker while I’m in paid employment and bring in the (metaphorical) bacon. So it’s my husband who should get a lie in, card, lunch, etc rather than me.

Secondly, for some women, the day can feel like a kick in the teeth. Women who have lost their mum. Women who do not/did not have a good relationship with their mum. Women who wanted to be mums, but did not get their wish. Women who lost their child. The day looks like it excludes them all.

Thirdly… why just mums? What about aunts, grandmothers, older sisters, mothers-in-law? What about the women we are not related to, but who love and nurture us?

So what’s the solution I hear you cry? Well, in the UK we do not celebrate Mother’s Day. What some people call Mother’s Day is actually Mothering Sunday. It is an old feast of the Anglican (Episcopalian) Church. It falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent, three weeks before Easter. In centuries past apprentices were given the day off so they could go back to their home village and visit their mothers. Girls would bake a simnel cake, a type of fruit cake with a lot of marzipan, to take to their mother.

Mothering Sunday… now that’s a feast I can get behind. On that day (as well as eating a lot of cake) I celebrate all the women who have mothered me over the years. My grandmother, my aunt, my mother-in-law, the female managers who mentored me, the wise friends who counselled me… they all deserve a special day.

So by all means let’s celebrate Mother’s Day. But let us also remember that we do not need to be mothers to do a lot of good, fruitful mothering.

Wherever you are, and whatever you happen to be doing, I wish you a very happy and blessed Mothering Sunday, this year and always.

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