Category: Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454)

In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or Medieval Period lasted from the 5th to the 15th century. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and merged into the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery. The Middle Ages is the middle period of the three traditional divisions of Western history: classical antiquity, the medieval period, and the modern period. The medieval period is itself subdivided into the Early, High, and Late Middle Ages.

When a Warrior Woos A Lass by Julie Johnstone

On By TracyIn Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's Reviews1 Comment

When a Warrior Woos a Lass (Highlander Vows: Entangled Hearts Book 6)When a Warrior Woos a Lass by Julie Johnstone

Series: Highland Vows: Entangled Hearts, #6

Release Date: December 18, 2017

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my first Julie Johnstone book, but it certainly won’t be my last.

Lena MacLeod is the widow of an evil man and has the scars to prove it – inside and out, she feels broken and cannot abide being touched. She returned to her brother’s home in hopes of healing, but now two years later, she is no closer than she was when she first arrived.

Alex MacLean has known Lena for years and cares for her, but he too has scars and knows the darkness in him would destroy her. They meet again at her brother’s wedding and are both shocked when the king arrives and commands them to wed. The king also has a mission for Alex, but it will involve keeping more secrets from Lena.

The king and Alex come to an agreement, but in doing so, it makes Alex appear to be a traitor. Lena is confused, Alex is kind and gentle with her, he praises her strength and urges her to let go of the pain holding her prisoner. In his care, Lena begins to heal and is on her way to being the woman she was before she married Findlay Campbell. But she knows that Alex is keeping secrets and knows those secrets could kill any love blossoming between them. Repeatedly she asks him to trust her and share with her – but Alex feels intense guilt and shame from his past and refuses.

Lena’s half-sister Marsaili has agreed to go with Lena to her new home, but Lena knows there is something Marsaili is keeping from her. When Lena learns Marsaili’s secret, she is shocked and not sure who to turn to, she wants to tell Alex, but Marsaili has sown seeds of doubt and while she longs to trust him, his refusal to share his past makes it impossible for her to do so. So she writes to her brother. When Alex intercepts her letter, he knows it is time to enact the king’s plan. He plans to take Marsaili and confront the Stewart, but he has no intention of letting Lena join them.

Lena learns they are planning to leave and is heartbroken, but when she learns his true mission, she insists on joining them. They arrive at the Stewart’s castle and Alex’s past comes rushing back. Alex must seemingly betray Lena’s brother Lachlan and take him prisoner. He leave to do the Stewarts bidding and Lena is left at the castle. Lena learns much about Alex’s past and is used to punish Alex – but Lena has grown strong and she will not break. When Alex saves her, she begs him to share his past, telling him that the secrets will destroy the love they share. But even after he does so, they are not done yet, they still have to complete their mission and save Marsaili and Lachlan.

This was a very well written story, it flowed well and was almost impossible to put down. It had secrets, shame, heartache, steamy love scenes, healing, acceptance, action and some very evil villains. But it also had sweet, tender moments as well as a truly beautiful love story and a very hard won HEA.

This is the sixth book in the series and I will admit feeling a little lost at times, events in the past are eluded to, but not having read the previous books, I wasn’t really sure what happened – but those past events played a significant role in this book and while I can imagine what happened, I was not given enough backstory to know for sure. Which is why I gave this book 4 stars vs 5 stars. I am sure if you have been following the series, you will have a much better understanding of the past events and LOVE this book.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC*

Highland Redemption by Lori Ann Bailey

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Scottish/HighlanderLeave a comment

Highland RedemptionHighland Redemption by Lori Ann Bailey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Highland Pride #2
Publication Date: 11/27/17

This is the second novel by Lori Ann Bailey and I think she has great promise as an author. This series is set in 1640’s Scotland during a time of great turmoil between the Royalists and the Covenanters. I have not read the first book in the series and I think that may be what caused some of my questions about people in this book. There are some things that, to me, just aren’t plain and it makes me question their plausibility. I enjoyed the story, I just didn’t understand some of the character backgrounds and standing within the clan.

Skye MacDonald (or is it, Cameron, because her father was a Cameron farmer) is the niece of the MacDonald Laird. Skye was named for the Isle of Skye where her mother’s family lived. Skye’s mother was the daughter of the previous MacDonald Laird and the sister of the current one. Skye and Brodie were childhood friends and Brodie looked up to Skye’s father very much. The two spent most of their time together and friendship turned to love. Skye loved Brodie with all of her heart, but when Brodie began spending more and more time away, she began to wonder at his commitment to her. Then, when he disappeared during the worst time of her life, she was bereft and when her uncle came to take her back to Isle of Skye with him – she went.

Brodie Cameron is the cousin of the Cameron Laird. I’m not sure what his family ‘job’ as part of the Cameron clan is, but it sounds as if they are farmers. Brodie spent as much of his time as possible with Skye and her family. He loved Skye and felt as if her father was a second father to him. He wanted to marry Skye and make a life with her, but he didn’t feel worthy of her – especially after overhearing a conversation between Skye’s father and her uncle. So, when an opportunity to better himself arose, he took it. He became “The Raven” a spy for the Royalists. Sadly, that caused him to have to be away from home for long periods of time and didn’t allow him to explain those absences to Skye. When he returned from an important mission to find Skye’s father had died and Skye had left, he was inconsolable.

Five years later, Brodie rescues a young woman who is being abducted, only to discover that the woman is Skye. Both of them realize their love has never died and they also realize that neither of them is free to act on that. Argyle, a staunch Covenanter, has put a price on the head of The Raven and Brodie would never expose Skye to that and Skye’s uncle has betrothed her to the third son of another Laird in order to form a political alliance.

Brodie is taking Skye to safety when he discovers that Argyle has also placed a bounty on Skye’s head – dead or alive. He cannot understand why Argyle has placed the bounty, but he will do all in his power to keep her safe. How will they manage to get through that time and keep their hearts intact and not betray their clans and alliances?

This is a lovely story of love and redemption. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”