Tag: Borderland Rebels

Clara’s Vow by Madeline Martin

On By TracyIn Medieval (1066-1540), Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Scottish/Highlander, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Clara's Vow (Borderland Rebels, #3)Clara’s Vow by Madeline Martin

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Borderland Rebels, #3

Release Date: March 16, 2021

When Clara Fletcher’s brother Drake and her mother begin arguing about her future, she is troubled, she has no desire to be a burden to her family, so she decides to take matters into her own hands and runs away with the intention of taking her vows as a nun at the Paisley Abbey. Clara is a skilled healer and longs to help people, so she knows she will be welcomed at the Abbey, but a small part of her grieves the death of her secret dream to have a family of her own.

Reid MacLeod is on his way to see Lord Tavish in Dumbarton Castle with a missive from the King warning of an impending attack by the English when he comes upon a cottage being set alight by English soldiers and it sparks memories of his own childhood tragedy – he intervenes and as he is fighting, he is struck in the back with a dagger. When he wakes, he finds himself in the care of the one woman he has never forgotten – Clara, the sister-in-law of his friend and former commander, Sir William.

Clara was horrified to realize she attacked Reid by mistake and knows she can’t leave him injured. She takes him back to the cave she camped in and discovers it is not just the wound she inflicted that has brought him down, but a previous injury that has become infected. Reid insists that he can’t stay and be treated, that he has an important mission to complete. A mission that Clara decides she will complete on his behalf.

Reid refuses to give up his mission and grudgingly agrees to let Clara accompany him, but plans to leave her at the Abbey and keep her well away from the trouble coming to Dumbarton. Being with Clara makes Reid long for a life that he swore he would never have. After losing his entire family, Reid lives in the hope of avenging them and decided long ago that he would never place his heart in danger of being broken again, but Clara tempts him like no other.

Clara finds herself falling for Reid and begins to hope for a different future, she knows that Reid has closed his heart to love and wonders if she can breach the walls he has erected – but before she can even think of that, they need to complete his mission – a task that seems nearly impossible when Reid is injured again.

This was a well-written, nicely-paced story filled with action, emotion, and steamy love scenes. Clara and Reid are wonderful characters, who each have their own crosses to bear and their journey to HEA is not without challenges. The book delivers a story filled with action, heartache, loss, revenge, surprises, steamy love scenes, a heroine who can hold her own in battle, a hero that will have choices to make, and finally, a HEA that brings a sigh to your heart and a smile to your face. I highly recommend this title, it is definitely my favorite of the series (so far) and while it is the third book in the series, it could easily be read as a standalone title.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

Faye’s Sacrifice by Madeline Martin

On By TracyIn Medieval (1066-1540), Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Faye's Sacrifice (Borderland Rebels, #1)

Faye’s Sacrifice by Madeline Martin

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Borderland Rebels, #1

Release Date: June 23, 2020


If you loved Madeline Martin’s Borderland Ladies Series and were sad to see it end – You can now rejoice because she has started a new spinoff series featuring Drake Fletcher and his sisters!!!

After the death of her English father, Faye Fletcher learned several hard truths, foremost is that love is not forever and can’t be trusted. She carefully guards her heart and other than her family, she refuses to love anyone. Thanks to her brother Drake, Faye along with her mother and two sisters; Clara and Kinsey now have a good life and a nice home. Life is comfortable but she wants to contribute and as a beautiful woman, she also learned that she can use her “wiles” to benefit her family, she flirts and charms the local merchants into giving her deals. But her comfortable life is shattered when her Scottish grandfather demands that she marry Ewan Sutherland, she refuses and he kidnaps her!

Ewan Sutherland is the chieftain of the Sutherland clan. A widower, he needs an heir and is negotiating a betrothal with Blair of the Gordan clan when the Ross chieftain approaches him and wants him to honor an agreement, he made years ago with Ewan’s father, an agreement that would see Ewan wed to Ross’ granddaughter. He vaguely remembers Faye and recalls being fond of her. He agrees to meet and is shocked when he learns that Faye has run away. He finds her and promises that he will not force her to marry him and will even help return her to her family. But when Ross finds them, he tells Faye she is free to go but threatens to take her kind and gentle sister Clara. Faye will not let that happen and agrees to marry Ewan as long as the Ross promises to leave her sisters alone.

Ewan learns from his cousin Moiré that his first wife, Lara, killed herself because Ewan didn’t love her and he vows to not repeat that mistake! Faye marries Ewan and learns that she enjoys the physical side of marriage – but Ewan wants more, he wants her heart. Faye likes Ewan, but she can’t let herself love him and falls back on her “wiles” to keep her heart safe. But Ewan is hard to resist and she finds herself falling for him. But before they get their HEA they will have to confront not only their own past hurts, but will have survive a shocking betrayal!

This was a well-written, fast paced story with wonderful characters, steamy love scenes, betrayal, misunderstandings, murder, multiple villains, surprising twists and turns and finally a well deserved HEA complete with an epilogue. I thought this was a great start to the series and while Ewan is no James (Anice’s Bargain) Ms. Martin set the bar high because he is an amazing hero and I can’t wait to see where this series goes from here!!

I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me.