Sunday, March 31, 2013

New Review: Kimberleigh Caitlin’s NIGHTWITCH – Queen Elizabeth’s Sea Hawks, a Spanish Captain of Legend and a worthy heroine!


This is one of the early historical romance novels by Kimberly Cates, who is now writing as Ella March Chase (it took me a while to ascertain all that!). It’s a good one and I recommend it!

Set in 1588 at the time Queen Elizabeth’s sea hawks ruled the seas and Sir Francis Drake defeated the Spanish Armada, this is the story of half English sea captain, Rafael Santadar, who sailed for Spain and was shipwrecked on the English coast. In a bizarre twist of fate, as legend foretold, he rescues Tessa Ravenscroft from an angry mob who called her a witch—an English girl the fairies gave to her parents when she was a babe. Rafe and Tessa soon fall in love, but their competing loyalties and their countries’ demands will tear them apart.

This is a worthy tale from a great romance author. She seamlessly weaves in the court of Queen Elizabeth (who is one of the characters) and the scheming and plotting that went on behind the scenes. Caitlin also incorporates the nightmare that was the Spanish Inquisition. There are wonderful characters here, including a gallant sea captain hero and a brave heroine. Also lots of angst, action and adventure. A worthy read for the historical romance lover who likes history with her romance.

One thing to note: Though the cover is beautiful, the heroine has black, not red, hair and the hero’s hair is long to his nape. And he’s a sea captain so there should be a ship in there somewhere! Since there isn't,  I'm giving you a picture to ponder of the Spanish Armada's defeat portrayed in the book:


Cates wrote three historicals under the name Kimberleigh Caitlin and I've reviewed two of them (Nightwylde and this one) on my blog; both are great stories:

SKY OF ASHES, SEA OF FLAMES (1987)
NIGHTWYLDE (1988)
WILDWITCH (1991)

Friday, March 29, 2013

New Review: Kimberly Cates’s LILY FAIR – Early Irish Medieval with a Prophecy


I am a huge fan of Kimberly Cates and I have loved her Irish historical romances; most recently I reviewed NIGHTWYLDE as a "keeper." But just so her fans know, this story is a bit slower in developing, even though Cates’ writing is as good as ever. It also seemed a bit long in the telling though there is a great ending. As there is no date given, I cannot give a precise setting except to say it’s early medieval Ireland.         

While her mother was pregnant, a Druid made a prophecy that the child, Caitlin of the Lilies, would one day destroy their Irish chieftain, Crom the Ever Truthful. In a very human irony, Crom is anything but truthful. Though he wanted to destroy the babe, he did not because Caitlin’s father was the powerful spear caster Fintan MacShane, endowed with fairy magic that made his every spear throw hit its target even though he was blind. Instead, Crom put the girl child into an abbey planning to kill her when she was grown.

Twenty years later, Niall of the Seven Betrayals, Crom’s faithful warrior, is sent to remove the young woman from the abbey—and to kill her. Niall, who is aware of the prophecy, must choose between an oath made to the abbess to protect the young woman and following his king’s order—the last test to restore his honor among his people.

Both Caitlin and Niall are in for some big surprises as Niall decides not to kill Caitlin but instead takes her to his family’s estate, Castle Daire--a castle that is crumbling despite his chieftain's representations.

Cates, as always, paints a vivid picture of her characters. Caitlin, the innocent, becomes the brave young woman so like her father, the spear thrower. And Niall discovers he really is like his father—a father he only learns too late was faithful and true. The story is detailed and historically puts you deep in Ireland’s past when the Christian faith and paganism coexisted.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

New Review: Brit Darby’s EMERALD PRINCE – Well Told Tale from Medieval Ireland with a Legend, a Worthy Hero and a Courageous Heroine!


This was my first by the writing team of Patricia McAllister and Fela Dawson Scott, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The novel reflects considerable research and careful attention to detail in this tale from 13th century Ireland.

The story begins in 937 (prologue) on Inisdeven Island in Eire (Ireland) as the Nordic Vikings descend on St. Gall’s priory. The only monk remaining alive is young Donal to whom a dying Viking gives a large Emerald while saying it must find its way to a female in his line—a descendant of the Fairy Queen Fand.

Hundreds of years later, in 1209 in England, Lady Alianor Coventry (“Nora”) is widowed when her older knight husband dies, a man she greatly loved and admired who was like a father to her. King John, tired of his pregnant wife Isabella is pleased to learn the fetching young heiress of Coventry is now free to be his plaything. But Nora wants only to help her people, something the king has no intention of allowing. Given a choice between becoming the king’s leman or marrying the Norman madman Quintin de Lacy, she chooses neither, but is nevertheless soon shipped off to de Lacy in Ireland. On the way, she is abducted by the outlaw, Liam Caomhanach, the one the Irish call the Emerald Prince, a man foretold by legend.

I thought the authors did an excellent job of incorporating history and the legend of the Emerald Prince into the story. They have created wonderful characters with a rich backstory—and some real life persons, like King John and Isabella.. Both Liam and Nora are compelling—unselfish and courageous. 

It’s a great tale, well told, and I recommend it for you lovers of Irish medieval romance.

Monday, March 25, 2013

New Review: Miriam Minger’s WILD ANGEL – Well Told Tale of Medieval Ireland and a Fiesty Heroine

I’ve read and enjoyed several by Minger and decided to read this one for my Best Irish Historical Romances list. I was not disappointed.

It begins in the Wicklow Mountains of Ireland in 1190 (prologue) when Fineen O’Toole, chieftain of he Imaal O’Tooles, happens upon a Norman woman’s body, gored by a boar, and her babe, still alive, the child the woman died trying to protect. Fineen overhears Normans hunting for the baby girl—to kill her—and he vows to raise the child as his own.

Twenty years later in 1210, Irish warrior Ronan O’Byrne, the “Black O’Byrne” (Fineen’s godson), is the rebel chieftain of the Glenmalure O’Byrnes. He lives to raid upon the Normans. Upon Fineen’s deathbed, Ronan promises to protect the girl Fineen raised more like a son—the feisty Triona O’Toole. Ronan’s idea of “protection” is to marry her off but Triona has no desire to wed any man. Both want revenge on the Normans for taking her father’s life.

Triona is feisty to say the least and she rebels against Ronan’s “traditional” views of what a woman should be. But this is the 13th century so his views are certainly the norm for the time. It’s Triona who doesn’t really fit. But love will change her and him, too. There isn’t much of Ireland’s history in this one but there is a good flavor for the Irish views of the Norman conquerors…even 100+ years after the invasion.

Minger writes well and for the most part the story is well paced. The end has some good action scenes. I can recommend it.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

New Review: Virginia Henley’s THE IRISH DUKE – Delightful Late Regency Era Romance


Ever since James Hamilton, the Irish Marquis of Abercorn was 9 and Lady Louisa, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Bedford, was 7, James has wanted to marry her. She turned him down then (1819), and now that she is 19 and on the marriage block (1830), nothing has changed. Lady Louisa dreams of a life as a dancer, a life she can never have as a duke’s daughter, but in no event does she want to wed. Still, her beauty and her virtue attract all the ton’s would be suitors. But James is not worried. What he wants, he gets.

Meanwhile the beautiful virtuous Louisa has a sister, Georgy, who is quite the opposite: a selfish, whiny tart, she is plain and promiscuous. Georgy manages, unsurprisingly, to get pregnant, and the ever-protective Louisa allows their mother to think the miscarriage is Louisa’s. (I wanted to slap Georgy for saying nothing, and slap Louisa for taking a fall she did not need to take—it was only their mother involved after all!) Their mother the duchess assumes, of course, that James is the father of the miscarried child and forces a marriage to Louisa—all the while Georgy and Louisa say nothing. James now believes Louisa is not the virtuous woman he thought she was and their relationship quickly deteriorates. (I must say, that whole scenario was a bit hard to believe.)

Henley used both real life and fictional characters in this period story. (The real Lady Louisa is pictured at left.) 

The cast was so large I sometimes found it difficult to hold them all in my head (especially since some have the same name which Henley could hardly avoid since they are real persons). The facts roll out furiously and one has to have a good memory to remember them. Still, the story held my interest and I wanted to hang in there to see how it ended--and I did! I loved that this was a fictional account of the love between two historical people who were married for over 50 years. Lady Louisa lived to be 93.

It’s quite different from Henley’s more serious historical romances (which I have raved about on this blog), but if you like lighter Regency era fare, you will enjoy it.


This is part of Henley’s Peers of the Realm Series:

THE DECADENT DUKE (2008) – Romantic Times’ British Isle-Set Romance Nominee
THE IRISH DUKE (2010) – Romantic Times’ Historical Fiction Nominee
THE DARK EARL (2011) – Romantic Times’ British Isle-Set Romance Nominee
LORD RAKEHELL (2013)

Friday, March 22, 2013

Against the Wind, Book 2 in the Agents of the Crown is here!


AGAINST THE WIND, book 2 in the Agents of the Crown trilogy!

A night in London’s most exclusive bordello. Agent of the Crown Sir Martin Powell would not normally indulge, but the end of his time spying against Napoleon deserves a victory celebration. Yet, such pleasure will not come cheap. The auburn-haired courtesan he calls “Kitten” is in truth Katherine, Lady Egerton, a dowager baroness and the daughter of an earl as elusive as she is alluring. She flees a fate worse than death. But Martin has known darkness, too, and he alone can touch her heart--as she has touched his. To the English Midlands they will steal, into the rising winds of revolution.

See my homemade trailer here:


And the Winner is...


Thanks to all those who commented on Renee Vincent's wonderful post about the Norse in Ireland. 

The winner of Renee Vincent's wonderful Viking romance, RÆLIKSEN, is Anna Bowling! 

Anna, please contact me and give me your email so Renee can gift you the eBook!

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Favorite Author and Guest Blogger Renee Vincent, author of the Emerald Isle trilogy!


I want to thank the very talented Regan Walker for inviting me to her wonderful blog for her special March events. I am super honored to be here and to share my experiences with researching the history of Ireland for my novels.

The Norse in Ireland

One of the first or perhaps the most famous of appearances made by the Northmen was in 793 AD, when a small band of armed men attacked the monastery of Lindisfarne (a small island off the east coast of England) and mercilessly killed the peaceful monks of the abbey. Not only did they thieve the riches from the monastery, but they also slaughtered the cattle to restock their ships. To the Christian world, including Ireland, this was an outrage. And just as word quickly spread of this atrocity, so did the number of reoccurring attacks on other monasteries, particularly those along Ireland’s coasts and rivers.


Eventually, Ireland became the perfect place for the Northmen to set up winter camps when excursions were put on hold until the warmer seasons. Over time, these temporary encampments developed into settlements and even flourishing ports. The Northmen started to trade, intermingle, and adapt to the customs and culture of the Gaels, but there were still those Irish who did not like the “foreigners” who swept into their country like a vicious storm. Many of the Irish, noble and ignoble alike, had come into brutal contact with these pagan people, and had lost their loved ones to raids, skirmishes, or even the slave trade. The thought of actually allowing these Northern people to integrate into their own country—which had so far remained impervious to outside influences—left more than a bad taste in their mouths.


The High King of Ireland, Niall Glundubh, had quite possibly the worst grudge of anyone. He had demonstrated great efforts to unite the constant warring Irish clans into one huge force in order to rid their lands of the Northmen, starting with those who controlled Baile Átha Cliath (Dublin). But there were some lesser kings who were left questioning the probability of this victory—if not the morality of it—given that some had already formed alliances with the Northmen and even married their daughters. Joining this campaign would have been a blatant betrayal of those very collaborations. Veritably, there were grown sons born of Irish and Norwegian parents, thus further complicating matters. What seemed to be a clear-cut battle between native and foreigner, had now evolved into an obscure civil war.
 
This is the very time period when my story, Ræliksen, takes place—when there was more at stake than just a claim on Ireland’s flourishing port, but the very alliances made between Christian and pagan men, how ever unlikely it seemed.

Why did I choose this particular time period for the start of my Emerald Isle Trilogy? Simply put, it was the most interesting of all the conquests the Norse had made, at least for me.

With the expansion of the trade routes, the Vikings set foot in many places around the world, including lands as far east as Russia and the Orient, and as far west as North America. But their countless excursions in Ireland were the ones that had always held me riveted. I especially loved the numerous conflicts they’d had with the Irish kings and the few—sometimes scandalous—alliances they sealed in marrying the kings’ daughters.

Another reason I loved this time period in history is because this was about the time when Christianity was introduced to the Northmen. Some even accepted and practiced the new religion. This was mostly due to the Northmen’s repeated journeys where they came into contact with, socialized, and often times settled the lands of Christian Europe. But in my research, it still boggled my mind as to what would make a proud heathen man, who believes in many gods, suddenly accept and whole-heartedly believe in one God.

History does not give a clear-cut reason for the Northmen’s conversion, only that in most instances it was demanded else they face death. Certainly, that alone would’ve been convincing enough to prompt one’s “conversion.” But to truly convert and pass it down to their children, generation after generation, there had to be something more profound going on, something deeper inside a man’s heart that led him to that pivotal moment of adopting a strange new religion. 
 
Dægan’s conversion in Ræliksen was just my fictional take on the matter, and it brought to the surface the reflective side of my hero. He was a man who often reacted quickly on his emotions, but still contemplated his actions. He wanted to always stay on the path of righteousness. He was a man with a conscience and a man humble enough to ask for help from someone bigger than his haughty self. The significance of his conversion was the dawning of a new day…that despite death, not all is hopeless and lost.

My other hero, Breandán Mac Liam (first introduced in Ræliksen but has his own story in Mac Liam) is a pivotal character as he is the reason for both Dægan’s triumph and his struggles. Understand that Breandán is Irish, while Dægan, no matter what we know as the reader, is still the unwelcome, cruel and savage Northman on his Irish lands. So, without really knowing the mutual relationship between Mara, the heroine, and Dægan, the warrior chieftain, Breandán single-handedly brings havoc and pain into their lives—not because he wishes any ill will on Dægan, but because he is simply determined to save Mara from the Northmen, who he believes have taken her.
 
Once he realizes the love Dægan has for Mara, Breandán becomes the behind-the-scenes kind of hero, aiding Dægan when he needs it the most. Indirectly, the two ally themselves to save the one woman they both love.
However, where one might think the story ends with Ræliksen, it only just begins for Breandán as he walks away, still in love with Mara. With the start of Mac Liam, we now get to take a look into Irish way of life and see just how much Breandán really loves her despite the seven years that have passed.

The research for this book was a bit more difficult for me because for so long, my research had remained on the Norse who’d come into Ireland. Now I had to forget what I knew about the Vikings (largely a Germanic tribe) and concentrate on a completely different race and creed of people from a Celtic nature.
 
Lucky for me, I had many friends around the world who I called upon when books had failed me, especially when I needed to capture that indigenous Irish pride and portray the Irish psyche in a favorable light.

I found my “human” resources years ago on an Irish Gaelic translation site and have stayed in contact with them to this day. Several live in Ireland presently, which really helped when I needed assistance on the general lay of the land since I’ve yet to visit it. When I wanted to add a few endearments or greetings in Irish Gaelic to the story, I relied on a select few who knew the difficult language well and the challenges of translating properly. Without all of their help, I couldn’t have described and represented Ireland in such a way that would have done it justice.

This in-depth research of Ireland continued into The Fall of Rain, which is actually a contemporary romance set on Inis Mór, the island where Dægan Ræliksen and Mara had once lived and where Breandán had later come into the picture. For this, I needed to present the reader with a nostalgic feeling of the first two books in the series, while maintaining a modern setting with actual, present-day landscapes, buildings, pubs, restaurants, cottages, and roads.

This part of the research was especially enjoyable because its purpose essentially became twofold. I was able to research places that my hero, Leif Dæganssen, and heroine, Lorraine O’Connor would visit or hang out in, while I also “planned” my future trip to Ireland and where I would stay! 


I'd love to hear from those readers who also love Irish (or even Viking) heroes! Leave me a comment for a chance to win an ebook copy of Raeliksen in the format of your choice. 

Amazon buy links for the trilogy:

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Best Irish Historical Romances!

I developed this list for a friend of Irish descent who loves Irish historical romances and asked me to recommend some. There are many romances that feature Ireland, Irish heroes and heroines, or Irish immigrants in America. Some of the stories transcend typical historical romance as they bring to life heartrending tales of wonderful Irish characters who survived much hardship to help make America great.

This list contains only those I have rated 4 or 5 stars. I hope you find some among them that will bring to mind the Emerald Isle and perhaps give you dreams of an Irish hunk.


·       Beyond the Cliffs of Kerry by Amanda Hughes
·       Briar’s Rose by Kimberly Cates
·       Broken Vows by Shirl Henke
·       Carnal Gift by Pamela Clare
·       Countess of Scandal, Duchess Of Sin and Lady of Seduction (Daughters of Erin trilogy) by Laurel McKee
·       Crown Of Mist by Kimberly Cates
·       Dream Lover by Virginia Henley
·       Emerald Ecstasy by Emma Merritt
·       Emerald Prince by Brit Darby
·       Golden Surrender from the trilogy set in Ireland by Heather Graham
·       Her Warrior Slave, Her Warrior King, Her Irish Warrior, The Warrior's Touch, Taming Her Irish Warrior, and Surrender to an Irish Warrior (MacEgan Brothers Series) by Michelle Willingham
·       Lily Fair by Kimberly Cates
·       Lions and Lace by Meagan McKinney
·       Maid Of Killarney by Ana Seymour
·       Moonlit by Emma Jensen (3rd in her Regency spy series; the only one set in Ireland)
·       Maidensong by Diana Groe
·       Master of My Dreams by Danelle Harmon
·       Nightwylde by Kimberleigh Caitlin
·       No Gentle Love by Rebecca Brandewyne
·       Passion’s Joy and the sequel, Virgin’s Star by Jennifer Horsman
·       Raeliksen and Mac Liam (from the Emerald Isle trilogy) by Renee Vincent
·       Rose in the Mist and Irish Gypsy (from the Riordan trilogy) by Ana Seymour
·       Scarlett: The Sequel to Gone With the Wind by Alexandra Ripley
·       Skye O’Malley by Bertrice Small
·       Surrender the Stars by Cynthia Wright
·       The Game by Brenda Joyce
·       The Ground She Walks Upon by Meagan McKinney
·       The Hawk and the Dove by Virginia Henley
·       The Highwayman by Anne Kelleher
·       The Irish Devil by Donna Fletcher
·       The Irish Duke by Virginia Henley
·       The Irish Princess, The Irish Enchantress and The Irish Knight by Amy Fetzer
·       The Irish Rogue by Emma Jensen
·       The Passions Of Emma by Penelope Williamson
·       The Sword of the Banshee by Amanda Hughes
·       Whispers of Heaven by Candice Proctor
·       Wild Angel by Miriam Minger
·       Wolf’s Embrace by Gail Link

Saturday, March 16, 2013

When you go to Dublin...


…you will likely be traveling down Grafton Street. And when you do, look for my favorite Café, Bewley’s.


The first time I wandered into Bewley’s, I discovered a world of gourmet coffee and treats downstairs--and wonderfully enticing scents. Upstairs they have a sitting area where I was drinking coffee and enjoying the ambiance as well as the view of the street when I happened to look up to spot a beautiful redheaded woman dressed all in green sitting across the aisle. There she was like some Irish princess from long ago. She was also dining alone, so I struck up a conversation. She was most gracious in responding and to my amazement I learned she was an American with Irish roots just like me! (In my case the roots also include Scotland and England.) What a truly small world we live in! Our conversation was one of the most enjoyable hours I spent in Dublin and became a lasting memory of a wonderful Irish city and a great coffee house.

To get you in the mood for St. Patrick’s Day, how about taking a virtual tour of Bewley’s? Here’s the link:

http://bewleys.com/bewleys-grafton-street-cafe/take-a-virtual-tour-of-the-cafe

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Favorite Author and My Guest Today: Amanda Hughes, Author of Wonderful, Epic Irish Historical Romances


Note: One lucky commenter today will have her choice of Amanda’s three novels in eBook format—so be sure I have your email or watch my blog for the winner's name!

Amanda, welcome to my blog! I am so excited to hear what you have to say about the Irish history that inspired your first novel and your new one!

Thanks, Regan, for having me on your blog. It is a pleasure to be here and I so appreciate the opportunity to talk about Ireland. I know you share that heritage, too, and we can celebrate St. Patrick’s Day together in remembering it.

Writing Historical Romances About the Irish

"A thin place? What do you mean?"
 "The ancient Celts believed certain spots on Earth have thin boundaries between the natural and the supernatural world. I believe the monks felt that transparent quality here and for that reason chose this site for a monastery."
 "What a beautiful idea. I've never heard of such a thing."
 "Some think its romantic superstition. I prefer to think of it as evidence of eternity.”

                            ~Darcy McBride to Father Etienne from Beyond the Cliffs of Kerry


About twenty years ago when I first read about “thin places” in an article for St. Patrick’s Day, I was moved. Little did I know that years later it would find its way into my debut novel Beyond the Cliffs of Kerry and influence my latest novel, The Sword of the Banshee.
 
All my life, I have loved all things Irish, but serious investigation into Ireland never occurred to me until I decided to write a novel. Although my mother taught me to be fiercely proud of my Irish heritage, she had no interest or knowledge in Irish history. The English monarchy is what fascinated her, and the study of Great Britain was a priority in school so their past is what I learned. All of my youth, I was under the impression that the Irish had no history at all. History did seem to be “written by the conquerors.”

Years later when I decided to write a book, I came across the short article about “thin places” in a neighborhood newspaper, I became curious. I realized that it was time to do some investigation into my Celtic heritage. It was no easy task in the 1990s. I found little documentation of Irish history and next to nothing about 18th Century Ireland. There was no information at the public library, so I had to order dusty old books from the university. Most of them were sadly outdated, but I persevered and continued to research the novel.

Eventually, I learned that Ireland had suffered many famines, not just the “Great Hunger” of the mid 19th Century. This was the mass starvation when most of our Irish ancestors came to America. Instantly I knew that my main character, Darcy McBride, would be the survivor of an equally devastating famine that swept Ireland in 1740-41.

In my research for Beyond the Cliffs of Kerry, I also discovered that diseases killed most of the Irish at the outset of the famine, long before the slow painful death from starvation. Rickets and anemia were the killers, taking out the elderly and the very young. Those who managed to survive disease and the famine were scarred physically and emotionally for life.

Without a doubt, complex and disturbed characters were beginning to evolve for my book. Together they would make up the villagers of Kilkerry, Darcy McBride’s home in County Kerry.

I also learned that smuggling was a way of life in Kerry in the 18th Century. It was a common practice for the residents to smuggle goods to the French as a livelihood. Exposed and convicted of this crime, I decided to have Darcy transported as a prisoner to Colonial America. She would serve her sentence in the colonies as an indentured servant. Early America was another historical obsession for me, so the progression beyond the cliffs of Kerry seemed obvious. Once in the New World, Darcy finds even more danger and bloodshed, but she also uncovers the great love of her life with Jean Michel Lupe.


Beyond the Cliffs of Kerry took shape and was published in 2002. Though my second novel, The Pride of the King, concerns the adventures of a French woman from New Orleans, the love of Ireland drew me back once more when I started my third book.
  
This time, it was “The Troubles” that interested me, the turbulent and frequently bloody conflict between Ireland and Great Britain. With my research, I traced the roots of this turmoil back as far as the 13th Century. I learned about “The White Shirt Boys,” who were an underground society of resistance fighters who challenged the authority of the Crown throughout Ireland. It became clear to me that my next heroine must be a freedom fighter for the Irish living in the 18th Century. India Allen was created.

“The Ice Queen,” as she is called, steps up from the shadows in 18th Century Ireland and spearheads a rebellion that shakes the country, but it is doomed to fail. Fleeing to the New World, she joins forces with a cavalier Irish adventurer who will become her true love, Quinn Calleigh, and together, they form a vast and deadly partisan network during the American Revolution.

I was taken with the idea that even though the Irish could not attain their freedom from the British in Ireland, they were victorious here in the New World with the American Revolution. It was here in America where they found their opportunity to prosper, and it was here that they were at last able to worship freely and celebrate their heritage. As a result, The Sword of the Banshee was born.

Today I am formulating the plot line of my fourth book. Even if I do not write about the Irish in my next novel, there is no doubt that the powerful lure of the Celts will draw me back once more. To be Irish is a proud thing.

For more about Amanda, visit her website: www.amandahughesauthor.com